words before usa; and, taken together, they comprise all the glory and felicity of heaven.
The very place to which we shall be admitted, is described by all the powers of language, in order to convey to us some faint idea of its beauty b. There we shall behold all the angelic hosts with the spirits of just men made perfect (how bright and blessed an assembly must that be !) yea, we shall see the Lamb of God, that very Jesus who was crucified for us, seated on his throne ; and we shall behold the Father also face to face : we shall see him as he is, in all the brightness of his glory.
Together with this, we ourselves shall be fully changed into the image of our God : we shall resemble him both in body and soul, as far as finite creatures can resemble the infinite Jehovah. We shall also participate the blessedness of the Deity : and every vessel, according to its capacity, shall be filled with joy.
But it is in vain to estimate what is so infinitely above our comprehension ; for " we know not yet what we shall be." Even our present privileges surpass all that the carnal eye, or ear, or heart, has ever seen, or heard, or conceived0; much more therefore must the happiness of heaven infinitely exceed all that language can express, or imagination conceive.]
Such being the two states of suffering and of glory as viewed distinctly, let us now bring them under our review,
II. In a way of comparison —
[Sufferings, of whatever kind, are painful to flesh and blood; but when estimated according to the word of God, they are light, mixed, and momentary. How light are they in
comparison of what thay might be or of what we
deserve or of what Jesus endured for us or of
what myriads of our fellow-creatures are now enduring in hell ! Besides, amidst them all, we have innumerable mer- cies for which to be thankful and, if they were con- tinued throughout our whole lives, they would be short as the twinkling of an eye, in comparison of the state to which we are hastening
But the glory that awaits us is exceeding great, even " a weight" as great as the soul with its most enlarged powers is
able to support It is also unmixed with any alloy of
sin, or sorrow and its duration will be eternal, even
co-existent with the soul itself
What comparison then is there between them? So infinitely
;i
t«C Vi^ac
» Rev xxi. 10—23. c 2 Cor. ii. 9.