honors flow in upon every gale, that the laurels of science encircle your brow, that you have the sweetest and most affectionate friends; but rejoice rather that an immortality of glory is before you. Child of God, why are you growing to earth and sleeping out life in ungrateful inaction? What is the world to you who are so soon to be transported to the heaven of heavens? How will the world appear to you when it is melting down in the general conflagration? How will the world appear to you a million of ages after the judgment, while you are lost among the glories of heaven? And why this ungrateful sloth? Have you nothing to do for him who entailed this immortality upon you? Have you nothing to do for him who redeemed you from hell by his own blood, and has gone to prepare a place for you? Have you nothing to do for him on earth at whose feet you will presently lie in such unutterable transports of wonder and gratitude? Have you nothing to do for him on the very ground which was stained by his blood, and while breathing the air that was agitated by his sighs? Have you forgot that he left on earth a beloved Church, and that he has said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me?" Have you nothing to do for that Church on which his heart is so tenderly fixed? Have you nothing to do for his honor among men, who came out to seek you when you were wandering from the fold of God,-who separated you from your former companions and put a title to heaven in your hands? Ah Sirs, how will this

listlessness appear when you are enveloped in the glories of heaven and are filling the celestial arches with your bursting praise? Up, every redeemed soul, and do what you can for your God and Saviour. Take your harps from the willows and begin the raptured song. Let all the country around be charmed and won by your sacred melody. Go on your way enchanting the ear of a Christless age with your harp and your song; and when you come to the last enemy, enchant the ear of death itself with the same celestial notes; and let your praises die away from mortal ears, only to burst in new and louder tones on the ear of heaven. Amen and Amen.

SERMON XXXI.

NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH.

II. PET. III. 13.

Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

In the preceding verses the apostle had given a distinct and literal account of the dissolution of the earth and visible heavens by the final conflagration. He passes in our text from dissolving worlds and a smoking universe, to the new heavens and new earth which are to come in the place of the old; which are the object of the joyous expectation of good men; and which, (to wit, both the new heavens and new earth,) will be inhabited by righteousness, namely, by the same righteous men that so eagerly expect them. The Scriptures distinctly teach us that when Christ shall come to judgment, this earth, together with the visible heavens, including all the heavenly bodies that were made durVOL. II.

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ing the six days of creation, will be dissolved by fire, will pass away, will perish, will have an end, will be no more. They also teach us that new heavens and a new earth, in a literal sense, will be formed to supply the place of those which shall have passed away; and, though the highest or third heaven will continue to be the principal abode of the saints, that both the new heavens and new earth will be inhabited by righteous men.

A question here arises, whether the new heavens and new earth will be created out of the ruins of the old; that is, whether the old will be renovated and restored in a more glorious form; or whether the old will be annihilated and the new made out of nothing. The idea of the annihilation of so many immense and glorious bodies, organized with inimitable skill and declarative of infinite wisdom, is gloomy and forbidding. Indeed it is scarcely credible that God should annihilate any of his works, much less, so many and so glorious works. It ought not to be believed without the most decisive proof. On the other hand, it is a most animating thought that this visible creation which sin has marred,-which the polluted breath of men and devils has defiled,—and which by sin will be reduced to utter ruin,—will be restored by our Jesus,-will arise from its ruins in tenfold splendor, and shine with more illustrious glory than before it was defaced by sin.

After a laborious and anxious search for light on this interesting subject, I must pronounce the latter to be my decided opinion. And the same, I find, has