especially intended to point out the quickening and purifying communications of the Holy Ghost, of which our Saviour speaks, under the same figure of "rivers of living waters.”

In the presence and enjoyment of the triune Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, consists the complete possession of all good. Heavenly happiness is being present with the glorious God, and fully enjoying him as our portion and reward. We know what a difference it makes to have with us a beloved earthly friend; how children rejoice in the love and presence of a tender mother; and the wife in the society of a beloved husband; and the friend in the intercourse of an endeared and earthly friend; and those greatly indebted to a benefactor in his continued regard and kindness: and how quickly time flies away in such converse. But O, what will it be when without alloy we see our best parent, our true husband, our greatest benefactor, our greatest friend, face to face, and dwell with him for ever!

The Scriptures represent this as the distinguishing privilege of heaven. Our Lord says, "I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also:" and in his prayer to his Father, he offers up this ardent and glowing petition: "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." And so he assured the penitent thief on the cross, "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

The same hopes are continually expressed by the people of God. "Having a desire," says Paul, "to depart and be with Christ, which is far better;" and speaking of Christians he says, "We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord; wherefore comfort ye one another with these words."

Let the miser rejoice in the possession of an unsubstantial wealth; let the sensualist have his momentary joy; let the ambitious, or the man of science, or of human wisdom, pride themselves in the attainment of their several objects; O, what is their happiness compared with that of him who has for his portion, the God of true riches, of true glory, of true pleasures, and can bathe in that occan of Divine fullness for ever and ever!

Now, we do not see God on his throne. Beautiful as our world may be, the earth is but his footstool; and though he does reign,

still, it is not apparent to the eye of sense. Wicked men seem to prosper, the enemies of God seem to have the upper hand. When our Lord was on earth, though spiritual eyes beheld his glory, "the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth;" he was not seated on the throne, but was despised and rejected of men. When God was worshiped in his temple at Jerusalem, there was but the typical outward service, the figure of the true; and though in the holy of holies on the mercy seat, there were symbols of the Divine presence; still was he not "scen as he is." In the temple, mentioned in Ezekiel, the waters flowed from under the "threshhold," emblematic of the more distant communion we have now with God; but in heaven they flow directly from the "throne." For there God is visibly scen as the Sovereign, reigning not only with undisputed, but with universally acknowledged and manifested, unspeakably glorious, delightful and joyful empire over that happy world. The language of every blessed spirit then, not in distant hope, but in actual and full possession, is-" In thy presence is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more."

THE LIGHT WHICH GOD IMPARTS. "They need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light." We will notice what they have no need of, and what they possess.

WHAT THEY NEED NOT. "They need no candle;" that is, no borrowed or artificial light, invented to supply the absence of a better and greater. All human means are imperfect; all sensible things to supply our necessities, as they are but remedies for defects, so they are themselves defective. The clothes that protect us from the cold, wear out and need to be renewed; the fire that warms, consumes away in the very act of communicating warmth; the food that nourishes, is destroyed in affording that nourishment; the candle in shedding its light, gradually wastes away; and all these helps are but imperfect and incomplete, and therefore, when that which is perfect comes, that which is in part shall be done

away.

"They need no sun"-that is, no indirect light through the creations of God. We know God more by his works. We see him through sensible images; "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy-work; day unto day uttereth speech; night unto night showeth knowledge."

There is the still greater light of Revelation; the light of grace, which tells us much of God, that we could never discern in the book of creation.

But the light of glory transcends all these. Let us consider then, WHAT THEY POSSESS. "The Lord God giveth them light." He enlightens them directly from himself: no borrowed light from his works, no teaching of the creature, but direct and immediate from the Creator himself-in thy light shall we see light.

Many and inestimable are the blessings which are comprehended in this gift. It seems more especially to denote knowledge, holiness, and happiness.

once.

There will be Perfect knowledge there. This is according to that statement, "Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I am known." Now our greatest blessings are apprehended only by faith, but then they will be ours by sight and enjoyment. Now, what time it takes to learn to read! what patience and application to acquire knowledge! what loss of health to become extensively learned! But there at a glance we shall take in more knowledge than years of study and experience can give the most laborious student here. We shall see them intuitively and at All that which is dark and obscure as the thick night, will have the broad light of day shed over it. We shall see the beauty of God's ways, the infinite wisdom, and the boundless love displayed in our heaviest sorrows and severest trials. "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." O, the glories of that history of historics, the developing and unfolding of the providential dispensations of God towards his people! We shall hold personal converse with the glorified objects of themwith Enoch, and Noah, and Moses, and all the saints of God; and what a knowledge will this give, of the wonders of Divine wisdom, truth, grace, and love. And each saint in glory will be as a mirror reflecting another and another view of the graces, beauties, and glories of Immanuel.

PERFECT HOLINESS is another part of the light there fully given. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all," and in those happy regions it is in the highest sense true, "we walk in the light as he is in the light." There will not be one sin left to defile us. O, the blessedness of entire freedom from every sin! When that galling yoke of bondage is not only eased, but withdrawn, and the last Egyptian, as it were, is seen dead on the sea shore, with

what exultation shall we sing, "The Lord is my strength and song; he is become my salvation." Never can the Christian have fullness of joy while one sin remains; but "when Christ shall appear," and "we shall be like him," and when that perfect "holiness" which "becomes" God's "house for ever," is ours, then shall the enlarged mind of the believer be completely filled, "Then shall I be satisfied when I awake up in thy likeness."

PERFECT HAPPINESS is also included in this expression, "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” Here, even in the very seed time, there is a present reward, " in keeping God's commandments," but when we come to reap the harvest of joy, O what joy must that be which is called by God himself "fullness of joy." Our best joys here are transitory and limited; but there will be unlimited, boundless, and eternal joy. See the glorious throng-observe the paims in their hands, and the crowns on their heads, behold them arrayed in the white garments before the throne. Who are these? They are the redeemed of the Lord-"they come with singing to Zion, and everlasting joy shall be on their heads; they shall obtain," they shall for ever possess, "gladness and joy-and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."

But they take up their golden harps, they begin one of the heavenly songs, the number of those who join, is "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands," and the grand united chorus of all is "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

And as all their happiness flows directly from God, so it is unceasing and secure. "The Lord giveth;" there is an incessant flow of knowledge, and holiness, and happiness.

O how triumphant and enrapturing, the song of praise raised by the heavenly host in the full enjoyment of all this blessedness! With what life and alacrity will the saints in their blessed communion exalt the object of their love and praise! The seraphim about the throne cry out to one another, to express their zeal and joy in celebrating his eternal purity and power, and the glory of his goodness. O the unspeakable pleasure of this concert, where every soul is harmonious, and contributes his full part of the music of heaven! Could we hear but some echo of those songs, wherewith the heaven of heavens resounds, some remains of those

voices wherewith the saints above triumph in the praises and in the solemn adoration of the King of Spirits, how would it inflame our desires to be joined with them! "Blessed are those that are

in thy house, they always praise thee."

O that I could in any way stir up all earnestly and zealously to seck heaven. Honestly and heartily turn your back on this world and all its sins, and set your faces to Zion, and you shall reach those heavenly heights, and arrive at that blessed City, whose "walls are salvation, and all her gates praise." Count all but loss for this, and stretch every nerve, if by any means you may be counted worthy to attain this glory.

SERMON VIII.

HEAVEN.

By the Rev. EDWARD BICKERSTETH,
Rector of Watton.

REVELATION xxii. 3-5.

And 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 there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light; and they shall reign for ever and ever.

COULD heavenly happiness be seen in all its blessedness, there would be no room for the full exercises of faith, and comparatively little display of the excellence of Divine grace in the hope, and patience, and holiness of God's people. To exercise faith, it is only revealed in prospect; to excite hope, it is but partially developed, and it "doth not yet appear what we shall be." We proposed to consider,