"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; but the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." In that New Jerusalem there "shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads, and they shall reign for ever and ever.' For says the apostle John, "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." If the countenance of Moses, after being on the mount with God, and beholding a small portion of his glory, such as mortal sight could endure, became glistening, so that the children of Israel durst not behold him, and he was compelled to put a veil over his face, what must be the effect of that glorious vision of Jehovah Jesus, face to face, to which all his followers shall then be admitted?

What the apostle declares concerning the spiritual likeness wrought in the hearts of believers unto their glorious Head, will then be verified in regard to their renovated bodies. "For we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Such are the incomprehensibly glorious prospects to which the word of God calls the attention of every believing soul. Such will be the astonishing termination of the present scene, when the mystery of God is finished, and the mediatorial office of the Redeemer fully accomplished, and the time of the end shall come.

This ought to be the subject of our daily meditations, prayers, and earnest exertions, "that we be found worthy to stand before him on that day, looking for and hastening" unto it, as the apostle speaks. This was the subject of St. Paul's prayers for his beloved Ephesians, when he desires "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give unto them the

spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him ;' the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, to know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe; according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right-hand in the neavenly places."

Here is comfort-here is instruction. But in order to obtain the present benefit of these "exceeding great and precious promises," by which we shall "be made partakers of the divine nature," we must dwell upon them, we must keep them in remembrance.

What occasion so proper to think of these things as when the chastening hand of God is laid upon us, and our earthly comforts are fled, and we are called to realize the brevity, the vanity of this life, in mourning over a departed friend?

Then let us turn the eye of faith towards that scene where change, and loss, and death are unknown: then, by the aid of God's holy word, and the assistance of his gracious Spirit, let us contemplate the glorious inheritance of the saints, until our stricken hearts are kindled into a warmer affection to that gracious Deliverer to whom we owe our rescue and our hopes; till the earnest desire is excited "to be with Christ, which is far better."

What so well calculated to assuage the violence of our grief, as the certain assurance that this mourning and weeping shall soon be turned to joy? That the ashes which are committed to the ground "shall rest in hope?"-that death shall die, and free " grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord," in every believer?

But there is likewise much instruction to be derived from the subject that has been considered. However, that we may not trespass too much upon your time, we shall barely hint at some particulars.

First. We learn, that if God hath shown such solici

tude for the body; if "Christ is the Saviour of the body" no less than of the soul; if the Holy Spirit condescends to make it his temple; then ought we to show a proper regard for it and neither on the one hand dishonour it by unholy actions, nor on the other deprive it of the necessary attention which it requires.

Secondly. We learn, that to ensure to our bodies a blissful resurrection and the highest perfection, our first and chief care must be directed to the soul, for whose accommodation it is destined.

It is only by following after holiness of heart that we can ensure to these earthen vessels an entire and eternal cessation from pain.

Thirdly. We learn how complete and glorious, taking in the whole man, body and soul, and ensuring the utmost perfection of every part, is that salvation which Christ has wrought out for us.

Let us, then, with humble gratitude renew our covenant with him; or if hitherto we have neglected this privilege and duty, let us lose no time to flee to him who still calls unto every one that is athirst to come and drink the waters of life. Let this great question henceforth occupy the chief place in our hearts, How we may obtain a share in that inheritance which the Saviour has purchased? This point secured, we shall be able to meet death with a smile, and to adopt the language of the inspired psalmist, "My flesh also shall rest in hope."

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MORTAL AND A
GLORIFIED BODY.

BY THE REV. JOHN WESLEY, M. A.

"My flesh shall slumber in the ground,

Till the last trumpet's joyful sound;

Then burst the chains with sweet surprise,

And in my Saviour's image rise."

1 Cor. XV. 35.-But some will say how are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

II. I now proceed to the second thing proposed, which was to describe the difference the Scripture makes between the qualities of a mortal and a glorified body. The change which shall be made in our bodies at the resurrection, according to the Scripture account, will consist chiefly in these four things: 1. That our bodies shall be raised immortal and incorruptible. 2. That they shall be raised in glory. 3. That they shall be raised in power. 4. That they shall be raised spiritual bodies.

1. The body that we shall have at the resurrection shall be immortal and incorruptible : "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Now these words immortal and incorruption not only signify that we shall die no more,-for in that sense the damned are immortal and incorruptible, but that we shall be perfectly free from all the bodily evils which sin brought into the world: that our bodies shall not be subject to sickness, or pain, or any other inconveniences we are daily exposed to. This the Scripture calls "the redemption of our bodies;" the freeing them from all their maladies. Were we to receive them again subject to all the frailties and miseries which we are forced to wrestle with, I much doubt whether a wise man, were he left to his choice, would willingly take his again; whether he

would not choose to let his still lie rotting in the grave, rather than to be again chained to such a cumbersome clod of earth. Such a resurrection would be, as a wise heathen calls it, "a resurrection to another sleep." It would look more like a redemption to death again than a resurrection to life.

The best thing we can say of this house of earth is, that it is a ruinous building, and will not be long before it tumbles into dust-that it is not our home; we look for another house, eternal in the heavens. That we shall not always be confined here, but that in a little time we shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, from this burden of flesh, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. What frail things these bodies of ours are! How soon are they disordered! Το what a troop of diseases, pains, and other infirmities are they constantly subject! And how does the least distemper disturb our minds, and make life itself a burden! Of how many parts do our bodies consist! And if one of these be disordered, the whole man suffers. If but one of these slender threads, whereof our flesh is made up, be stretched beyond its due proportion, or fretted by any sharp humour, or broken, what torments does it not create! Nay, when our bodies are at best, what pains do we take to answer their necessities, to provide for their sustenance, to preserve them in health, and to keep them tenantable, in some tolerable fitness for our soul's use! And what time we can spare from our labour is taken up in rest, and refreshing our jaded bodies, and fitting them for work again. How are we forced, even naturally, into the confines of death, even to cease to be :-at least, to pass so many hours without any useful or reasonable thoughts, merely to keep them in repose! But our hope and comfort are, that we shall shortly be delivered from this burden of flesh. When "God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.'" Oh! when shall we