to see his face, 2 Sam. xiv; thus God hath brought us from under the power of Satan, and the tyranny of hell; he hath received us into his church, which is, as it were, an holy Jerusalem, where he gives us a foretaste of our peace and reconciliation; but he defers, for a time, our reception into the magnificent palace of his glory, and our admission to his divine providence, where there is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore, Psal. xvi. 11. Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, 2 Cor. v. 6; and it is only by hope that we are saved, Rom. viii. 24. But when we are absent from the body, we shall be present with the Lord, and shall enter into the actual fruition of his inheritance. In a word, while we dwell here below, we see the image of our heavenly Father, and behold his glory as in a glase, 2 Cor. iii. 18. But when he shall admit us to approach his throne, we shall see him face to face, 1 Cor. xiii. 12, shall be changed into his image, 2 Cor. iii. 18, and satisfied with his likeness, Psal. xvii. 15.

Let death be ever so frightful and ill-favoured, it is the messenger of our heavenly Father; and if we have but the courage to wrench open its fingers, and to look into its iron hand, we shall there find letters full of love, by which this Father of mercies calls us to the participation of his eternal happiness. Death not only invites us to God, but it is as it were, a ship, by which we pass this tempestuous sea of the world, to go to our Redeemer, who expects us at the desired haven. It is like Elijah's chariot of fire, that carried him up to heaven, 2 Kings, ii. 11. If death covers our eyes with one hand, and deprives us of the light of the sun, with the other, it rends in pieces the veil that hinders us from seeing the rich beauties of the heavenly sanctuary, and

discovers to us the glorious face of the Father of lights. If with one hand it digs a grave for our bodies, with the other it flings open for our souls the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem, and ushers them into the marriagechamber.

Therefore, death should be so far from frightening us, that we should rather be glad of its arrival, and resolve to follow it with an holy cheerfulness. We should not only go to God with transports of joy, when he is pleased to call us to behold his face, and to eat the bread of his kingdom, Luke xiv. 15; but we should long with impatience for his glorious presence, and sigh after that blessed day, when he shall put us into his bosom, and satisfy us with his delights. A true believer will break out, on this occasion, into David's holy rapture, As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Psal. xlii. 1, 2.

I know that this great God, before whom we are to appear, is clothed with glory and majesty, and dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto, 1 Tim. vi. 16. I know that he is seated on a throne like the fiery flame, whose wheels are as burning fire; that thousand thousands minister unto him, and ten thousand times teu thousand stand before him, Dan. vii. 9, 10. I know that the earth is burnt at his presence, the sea and the rivers dried up; that the mountains quake, the hills melt; that the rocks are thrown down, the pillars of heaven shaken, and that the seraphims cover their faces with their wings, Nahum i. Isa. vi. But be not terrified, believing souls, at this glorious majesty, this royal pomp; for it is accompanied with tenderness and paternal love.

Round about the throne of God there is a rain-bow, in sight like unto an emerald, Rev. iv. 3, to signify that God is reconciled to us, and that his covenant of peace is for ever. As out of this magnificent throne proceed thunders and thunder-bolts, that fright the worldly minded and cast down the proud; so from thence likewise proceed such gentle lightnings, such lambent flames, as rejoice our souls, and guide them to their celestial inheritance. We are related to God by a nearer tie than the angels and seraphims; for we are not only his creatures and servants, but also his children, and the members of his Son; nay, we are one with him, John xvii. 11. Let us therefore give thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, Col. i. 12.

Let us go with an holy boldness up to Mount Sinai ; for there are no signs of God's wrath, or his just vengeance to be seen. We shall find there no bounds set to keep us at a distance from God, Exod. xix. but bands of love to draw and unite us unto him, Hosea xi. 4. Instead of the fire that affrights and devours, we shall perceive a mild pleasing flame, which burns without consuming, and which brings comfort, not fear. We shall not find there a lawgiver, who will drive us from him, and terrify us with his thunders; but we shall meet a loving Father, who opens his arms and his bosom to embrace us. In short, we shall not hear there the dreadful sound of the trumpet, that splitteth the rocks asunder, that breaketh the cedars, and maketh the hinds to calve, Psal. xxix. 5, 9; but we shall hear a sweet and melodious voice, that will quiet our trembling consciences, raise our drooping hopes, and fill us with peace and eternal consolation.

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I acknowledge that God is just, but he is still more merciful, and mercy rejoiceth against judgment, James ii. 13. His justice is like the great mountains, but his mercies are as a great deep, Psal. xxxvi. 6. Therefore, Moses, who had a nearer sight of God than any living man, cannot be satisfied with extolling his mercy, and the overflowing riches of his love; for once that he names him just, he styles him five or six times, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Exod. xxxiv. 6; nay, even the word righteous or just, which he makes use of, frequently signifies, in the holy language, merciful, gracious, and loving. God holds in his hand the sword of justice, but he is girded and clothed with mercy, as with a garment, In short, God is not only merciful and loving, but he is mercy and love itself, 1 John iv. 8. His compassion surpasses that of the best of fathers, or the most tender-hearted mother, as he himself declares by his prophet: Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she would not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, Isa. xlix. 16; yea, in the bottom of my heart. These fatherly compassions appease his hot displeasure, and force him to let fall the sword of justice, as he tells us in Hosea, How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, chap. xi. 8, 9. Therefore David had good reason to say with an holy confidence, When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up, Psal. xxvii. 10. Though all love and mercy were banished out of the earth, and all na

tural affections should be totally extinguished, yet my God will not forsake me while I live, and at the hour of death he will receive me into his bosom, and cover me with his wings.

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Christian souls, let not the sad remembrance of your sins and former failings discourage you; for when we appear before the throne of God, we must not rely upon our own righteousness, nor be puffed up with an opinion of our own merits, but we must place all our confidence, all our hope, in the mercy of God alone; or, speak with the prophet Daniel, We do not present our supplications before thee, O God, for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies, chap. ix. 18. The compassions of God are our merits. Till God shall want mercy, we can never want merit. Now the compassions of God fail not; they are new every morning, great is his faithfulness! Lam. iii. 23. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked should turn from his way and live, Ezek. xxxiii. 11. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins, Isa. xliii. 25. Though your sins and iniquities appear before you with all the deformity and ugliness of hell, yet be not swallowed up of grief, nor cast yourselves into despair; let us rather say with the prophet Jeremiah, Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens, Lam. iii. 39, 40, 41; or with holy Micah, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because