[What an astonishing transition does that soul expe- rience, which is delivered from the terrors of Mount Sinai, and brought into " the liberty of the children of God!" From being harassed with the dread of God's wrath, and impelled by servile fears to irksome, unsatisfying, ineffectual labours, how delightful to behold the face of a reconciled God and Father, to feel a holy boldness and confidence before him, and to anti- cipate the joys of heaven ! This is not a picture which is drawn by a warm imagination : it is a reality ; it is the expe- rience of thousands ; it is in a greater or less degree known to all who believe in Christ. Seek then, my brethren^ this hap- piness. You can easily conceive the difference between the labours of a slave under the lash of the whip, and the services which an affectionate child renders to an indulgent parent : you can see that even at present their states are exceeding different. Such is the difference between those who are under the law, and those who embrace the Gospel. But what will be the difference hereafter? " Now, believers are the sons of God : but it doth not yet appear what they shall be : but we know that, when they shall see Christ in glory, they shall be like him, for they shall see him as he iss." Let all of us then believe in Christ, that " we may see the good of his chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of his nation, and give thanks with his inheritance1!"]
s 1 John iii. 2. 4 Ps. cvi. 5.