THE SAVIOR'S INVITATION

Time's sun is fast setting- its twilight is nigh
Its evening is falling in cloud over the sky;
Its shadows are stretching in ominous gloom,
Its midnight approaches- the midnight of doom!
Then haste, sinner, haste, there is mercy for thee,
And wrath is preparing- flee, lingerer, flee!'

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let each one who hears them say, "Come." Let the thirsty ones come-anyone who wants to. Let them come and drink the water of life without charge. Rev. 22:17

'COME; all things are ready. See, heaven is opened! Behold angels and the spirits of just men made perfect, waiting for your arrival! See the golden scepter of forgiveness extended before you! Approach, and touch, and live forever.' -Dwight

COME TO THE SAVIOR

Jesus! refuge of my soul,
Let me to Your bosom fly,
While the raging billows roll,
While the tempest still is high!
Hide me, O my Savior!
hide Until the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
Oh, receive my soul at last. -Charles Wesley

In the preceding pages some of the most touching scenes in the Savior's life, with reflections on the excellency and holiness of His nature, have been exhibited. Guided by the Word of God we have dwelt on His original glory, when He was with the Father, rejoicing always before Him, and when His delights were with the sons of men. We have followed Him in His wonderful transition from heaven to earth, and listened to the song of a multitude of the heavenly host at His incarnation, ascribing glory to God in the highest, and proclaiming peace on earth, good will towards men. We have followed Him in some of His works of benevolence, when He went about continually doing good, preaching the gospel, and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people. We have contemplated Him in His amazing and mysterious agony in Gethsemane, and in His painful and ignominious death on Calvary. We have seen Him laid in the silent tomb, and rise again at the third day. We have looked after Him as He ascended triumphantly far above all heavens, and viewed Him standing at the right hand of God, interceding for us in the heavenly sanctuary. And, lastly, we have looked forward through all coming time, and fixing our eyes on that momentous period, when the heavens are to be rolled together as a scroll, and when the earth is to utter its expiring groan, we have contemplated Him coming again in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Now, we would ask, what impression have all these things produced in our mind? Have we considered them seriously? And have they been the means of guiding us to the blessed Savior, or of constraining us to esteem Him more highly? Have they purified and gladdened our hearts with that hope which 'makes not ashamed?' Have we made a proper application of these solemn truths to our souls?

In this concluding essay we would endeavor to enforce more fully the great duty of coming to the Savior for the blessings which He has purchased for us by the obedience of His life, and His sufferings and death- blessings which are offered to us in the everlasting gospel, without money and without price- blessings which will lead us into the 'green pastures,' and beside the 'still waters' of divine grace, as we journey through earth's wilderness, and bring us, at length, into that blessed state of heavenly repose under the tree of life, and by the living fountains of waters, in the midst of the Paradise of God.

If we would enjoy all the good that an immortal soul can desire, we must come to the Savior for the blessings of grace here, and glory hereafter. We must enlist forthwith under the banner of His cross; for now is the accepted time. Today we must listen to His voice: tomorrow may be too late. For all the blessings of the everlasting covenant of grace we must come directly to Him, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. The blessings which are treasured up in Christ for the supply of the needs of those who repair to Him, are so numerous that we have only space here to mention some of them.

COME TO THE SAVIOR FOR PARDON. Pardoning mercy is God's free, gracious acceptance of a sinner upon the satisfaction made to His justice by the death of Jesus. It is the most joyful sound that can fall on the ears of sinners doomed to die. It is one of the richest gifts of divine love. It descends from heaven, and brings the blessings of peace to the troubled soul. It is a pardon bought with blood- it is sealed in the blood of Emmanuel. It is the remedy of all our guilt. It frees from the burden of sin, dissipates the horrors of despair, and soothes the guilty soul. It removes the sting of death, and enables the believer to enter with new songs of triumph into the joy of his Lord.

I feel the weight of nature's guilt,
Beneath the ponderous load I groan;
Oh! may the blood on Calvary spilt
For all my crimson sins atone!
Blest Jesus! speak the pardoning word;
Salvation to my spirit bring!
Then will Your grace those joys afford,
Which from Your cross to sinners spring.
Redeemed from guilt and slavish fear,
My soul shall wing its way to Thee!
While faith beholds her title clear
To blissful immortality.

In the Gospel there is pardon for the most guilty. 'Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as white as wool.' This is one of the most gracious and encouraging promises in the Bible. It affords the greatest encouragement to the most depraved. But listen again to the voice of pardoning mercy. Hear the language of the inspired apostle Paul- 'This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-and I was the worst of them all. But that is why God had mercy on me, so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.' What super-abounding grace is here! It extends to the very chief of sinners. While reflecting on a truth so inspiring to those who are conscious of guilt in the sight of Heaven, well may we exclaim with wonder and joy: 'Where is another God like you, who pardons the sins of the survivors among his people? You cannot stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing mercy. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!'

Now, we must come to the Savior for this pardon. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. 'Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.' Christ has borne our iniquities; and it is through His blood alone, which is of infinite value, that we can find this forgiveness of sins. His blood can efface the deepest stains of iniquity. It has done so in innumerable instances. It cleanses us from all sin. 'The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.' 'I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.' 'Whatever our guiltiness be,' says Rutherford, 'yet when it falls into the sea of God's mercy, it is but like a drop of blood fallen into the great ocean.'

'O Savior! in that tide
Which from Your pierced side
On Calvary's mount was poured out like wine,
Cleanse my polluted soul,
The wounds of sin make whole,
And breathe Your Spirit over this heart of mine.'

Oh, the riches of this pardoning mercy of our adorable Redeemer! May it be the burden of our song through all eternity.

The pardon which the Savior has obtained is offered to all. A free, full, glorious invitation is extended even to those who are most deeply stained with the guilt of enormous sins- to the most guilty and wretched of earth's inhabitants. 'Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men.' 'Hearken unto me, you stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry:' 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.' 'Ho, every one that thirsts, come you to the waters, and he that has no money; come, buy and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.' 'The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whoever will, let him take the water of life freely.'

'Savior! and do You speak
Such gracious words to me?
Do You the wanderer seek
Who basely fled from You?
Will You my footsteps guide
To where Your sheep beside
The living streams abide?
I come, I come, with shame and grief oppressed,
Your feet embrace, and shelter in Your breast.'

Let all, then; come to the Savior for this inestimable blessing- pardon of sins. Let none, however vile or unworthy he may be, exclude himself from this pardoning mercy- a mercy which we all need, and without which we will perish forever. Let not a sense of enormous sin keep us for a moment from coming to Him, who came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. In all our guilt and depravity let us repair to Him that we may receive an abundant pardon. 'Those who are whole need not a physician, but those who are sick.' In the precious blood of Jesus, the Great Physician of souls, our wounded consciences will find healing; and by faith in His atoning blood, we shall finally be admitted into that better country, where the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; for the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

Many, on account of the greatness of their sins, are discouraged from coming to the Savior for pardon. They are so burdened with conscious guilt, that they seem to imagine their iniquities are too aggravated for even the Savior to pardon. This is a most unjust and unreasonable view of that grace of God, which brings salvation to the most vile. It is lightly esteeming the amazing love and compassion of Him, who, in the very midst of His agonizing pains on the cross, prayed for His persecutors- 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' The Savior will exclude none on account of enormous sins. Let us come to Him, feeling the need of His forgiveness, and using the plea of the Psalmist, 'For Your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great.' Under the banner of the cross pardon is now proclaimed to all penitents, though their sins are as scarlet and red like crimson. 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' If we now come to the Savior, we shall find a cordial welcome; our sins shall be forgiven; our robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb; and our names enrolled in the book of life, among the living in the New Jerusalem.

'Search the records of; the saved,' says an eloquent writer, 'and you will see names of the most atrocious offenders who were pardoned, and sanctified, and are now with God. Ask them how they escaped the wrath to come, and entered the everlasting rest? With one voice they will exclaim, He loved us, and washed its from our sins in His own blood! Ask all the family of grace who shall speedily join the celestial throng, how they obtained deliverance from the curse, and access to that absolutely holy God? With equal unanimity they will reply, We are accepted in the Beloved! There is, therefore, redemption through His blood. Let the doubting, disconsolate sinner throw himself, with all his guilt and vileness, into the arms of this forgiving mercy. It never yet repulsed any one who came in the faith of the Mediator's blood, and it will not begin its repulses with you. Go without delay; go with all boldness in this blood; and you shall find as cordial a welcome as grace can give you.'

Oh, how soothing is the voice that whispers to our troubled spirits- 'I, even I, am He that blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and will not remember your sins.' 'But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' 'Son, be of good cheer; your sins be forgiven.' 'That was the grace, softer than oil, sweeter than roses, which flowed from His lips into the sinner's wounds, and which being poured into the contrite heart, not only heals, but blesses it, yes, and marks it out for eternal blessedness.' (Leighton). Let us ever behold Jesus as the Lamb of God, who takes away our sins; and go on our way to the peaceful and happy shores of the better country, extolling that marvelous grace which has pardoned all our sins, and brought us near to God.

'Forgiveness! it is a joyful sound,
To rebel sinners doomed to die
Publish the bliss the world around;
You seraphs, shout it from the sky!
It is the rich gift of love divine;
It is full- out measuring every crime;
Unclouded shall its glories shine,
And feel no change by changing time.
For this stupendous love of heaven,
What grateful honor shall we show?
Where much transgression is forgiven,
Let love with equal ardor glow.
Cheered by the hope of pardoning grace,
We come Your mercy, Lord, to prove;
Like weeping Mary, let us taste
A pledge of Your forgiving love.

Blessed Jesus, weary and heavy-laden, I would come to You for Your pardoning grace. I would turn my eyes to the cross: I would behold the stream of salvation flowing from Your pierced side: I would look to You and live. Forgive, I beseech You, all my iniquities, and release my burdened soul. Oh, may the blood of sprinkling be applied by faith to my conscience, preserving me from guilt, and enabling me to walk in the light of Your countenance all my days, until the messenger of death shall waft me to the blissful home on high, where I shall meet with that glorious company of prophets, apostles, and martyrs, who have washed their robes and made them white in Your blood, and join them, in nobler strains than I can now reach, in songs of praise to You, who has loved us, and washed us from our sins in Your own blood.
'Oh, let Your precious blood divine
Wash all my sins away!
Then shall my soul resplendent shine,
Through heaven's eternal day.'

COME TO THE SAVIOR FOR PEACE. 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.' 'These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace.' This is a blessed gift, and we must come to Jesus for it. It is His delightful work to impart peace to the trembling conscience. Our souls can never enjoy perfect peace unless they are stayed on HIM, who is the Prince of life and peace. From the blessed Savior proceeds that heavenly peace which gladdens our hearts, and beautifies us with the fruits of righteousness, unto the glory and praise of God. The righteous are led forth with peace. 'Great peace have those who love Your law: and nothing can make them stumble.' 'And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.' 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.'

Now, would we enjoy that sweet peace of God which passes all understanding? Then let us come to the Savior; and in Him we shall find this solid and permanent peace, to compose, and strengthen, and uplift us in our journey through a world of storms and afflictions, until we reach the peaceful shore above, where, amid the unclouded splendors of Emmanuel's land, we shall cease from our labors, and sorrows, and pains, and conflicts, and enter upon that rest which remains to the people of God.

'Blessed Savior, speak the healing word,
Bid all my sorrows cease;
Oh, be my great atoning Lord.
My righteousness and peace.
You are my refuge and my rest,
Sweet peace in You I now may find;
The richest streams of heavenly grace,
To soothe and calm my troubled mind.'

COME TO THE SAVIOR FOR JOY. Says Jesus to His faithful disciples, ' These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.' All sublunary joy is vain, and quickly passes away. True, lasting joy is a blessing which does not spring from earthly sources. It descends from above; it comes from the blessed Savior; it flows from a faithful reception of the gospel of His grace. It is one of the fruits of the Spirit, and is promised to the believer. It is a stream which will never fail. 'Your joy no man takes from you.' 'Everlasting joy shall be unto them.' Like a river, deep and wide, it will flow through all time, invigorating and enriching the saints of the Most High, until it empties itself in the ocean of eternal felicity before the throne of God. It is a holy serenity of soul- a joy unspeakable, and full of glory. It is the strength of the believer; it fills his soul; it purifies his affections; it lifts his sanctified mind above the sorrows of the present world to the land of supreme, everlasting joy.

This sacred joy of the Christian springs up in all its rapturous emotions when the cross appears to our view- when we believe that Jesus, with all the infinite riches of His grace, is ours- that God is our reconciled Father- that heaven is our future home. How blessed in a world like this, where earth-born joys so swiftly pass away, to be assured that there are holy and rapturous joys in Christ, which can never perish!

'Thrice blessed, you saint of the Lord;
In Jesus your refuge is found;
Oh! trust to His promise and word,
And joys shall increase and abound.
Yes! joy shall increase like a stream;
Your peace, like the waves of the sea;
Your grace into glory shall beam;
And Jesus your portion shall be.'

But who can describe this holy joy which the Savior gives, the voice of which is heard in the tabernacles of the righteous? It is called 'the oil of joy' ' the joy of the Lord'. Oh, the unutterable joy that arises in the heart when, by faith, the Redeemer is seen in His mediatorial glory- when the soul eats of the bidden manna and drinks of the living stream! How many of the servants of God, while on earth, have been favored with the largest communications of this sacred joy of the Lord! What foretastes of the joys of heaven are sometimes vouchsafed to them while musing on the great things of God!

It was while in this heavenly frame of mind, that the pious Doddridge penned these lines to a beloved friend- 'It is pleasant to read, pleasant to compose, pleasant to converse with my friends at home, pleasant to visit those abroad- the poor, the sick- pleasant to write letters of necessary business, by which any good can be done- pleasant to go out and preach the gospel to poor souls, of which some are thirsting for it, and others dying without it- pleasant in the week-day to think how near another Sabbath is; but, oh! much more pleasant to think how near eternity is, and how short the journey through this wilderness, and that it is but a step from earth to heaven.' Experiencing the same high and holy pleasure of mind, he wrote, at a later period, in this happy strain- 'Last Lord's day was our sacrament day, and indeed it was a most comfortable one to me; my joy at that ordinance was so great, that I could not well contain it. I had much ado to forbear telling all about me, as well as I could- for it would have been but in a very imperfect manner- what a divine flame I felt in my soul. Were it possible to carry such impressions through life, it would give the soul a kind of independence far too high for a mortal existence. It was indeed, in the most literal and proper sense, a joy unspeakable and full of glory.' The eminent John Howe, in a remarkable record of his personal experience, inscribed in his study Bible, speaks of the sublime joy which filled his soul on two occasions, and tells us that what he 'sensibly felt' on one of these, far surpassed the most expressive words his thoughts could suggest. 'I then experienced an inexpressibly pleasant melting of heart; tears gushing out of my eyes, for joy that God should shed abroad His love abundantly through the hearts of men, and that for this very purpose my own should be so signally possessed of and by His blessed Spirit.

Another most remarkable outpouring of this stream of sacred joy, which comes from the Savior, and which so transports the soul of the believer, was vouchsafed to the devout John Flavel. Being once on a journey, he set himself to improve the time by meditation; when his mind grew intent, until at length he had such ravishing foretastes of heavenly joys, and such full assurance of his interest therein, that he utterly lost the sight and sense of this world and all its concerns, so that for hours he knew not where he was. At last perceiving himself faint, he alighted from his horse and sat down at a spring, where he refreshed himself, earnestly desiring, if it were the will of God, that he might there leave the world. His spirit reviving, he finished his journey in the same delightful frame; and all that night passed without a wink of sleep, the joy of the Lord still overflowing him, so that he seemed an inhabitant of the other world.

Let us come to the Savior, that His joy may remain in us, and that our joy may be full. And though we may not, while on earth, experience such transports of holy joy as were vouchsafed to those men of God, whose experience we have just recorded, yet the time is at hand when Jesus shall appear to our joy- when we shall come to Zion with everlasting joy upon our heads; when we shall experience a joy truly unspeakable and full of glory. Then will be fully accomplished the words of the prophet; 'Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more.' 'They will shout with joy like warriors dividing the plunder.' Then will have come that morning of joy, which shall never be followed by a night of weeping.

We beseech you to come to the Savior for this heavenly joy, which He is waiting to give you: and then, amid all the changing scenes of your earthly course, you may sweetly sing- 'Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.' 'I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.'

'How sweet the sacred joy that dwells
In souls renewed by power divine;
Where Jesus all His goodness tells:
Oh! may this joy be ever mine!
Descend and bless Your servant, Lord,
Your loving Spirit now impart;
Speak You the all-enlivening word,
And seal salvation to my heart.
From earth and all its fleeting toys,
Be all my fond desires withdrawn;
Oh, fill my soul with heavenly joys,
Of endless bliss the glorious dawn.
Then shall my raptured spirit sing,
In strains of pure celestial love;
When borne on some kind seraph's wing,
I soar to brighter worlds above.'

COME TO THE SAVIOR FOR REST. How precious is His own invitation, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.' Our wearied souls will never experience true rest until we come to Jesus. In vain will we seek for perfect, uninterrupted rest in earthly things. This fleeting, sin-stained world is not the place of our rest. The sacred command is- 'Arise, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it; shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.'

Now, where shall we go for this blessing except to Him, who came from Heaven to bring perfect rest to our weary souls, and who has returned again to those blessed mansions to prepare a place of eternal, joyful rest for us- a sweet repose beyond the storms of life, where sin and care no more disturb- where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest? Let the weary pilgrim of earth come to the Savior, who has promised to give him rest. 'For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest shall you be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.' Are you burdened with guilt and fears? Are you heavy laden with innumerable transgressions? Have your iniquities taken hold on you, so that you are not able to look up? And does not your heart fail you when you think of all this? Now, do you not desire rest for your soul? Then come to Jesus, and lay down your burdens at the foot of His cross; look up with the eye of faith to His bleeding side; plead for an interest in 'the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel;' and you will enjoy rest on earth- spiritual rest, peace of conscience, a sweet serenity of soul- and beyond the grave you will rest forever in the blissful home of the redeemed; in the bosom of Abraham; in the arms of Jesus. Comply with the Savior's gracious invitation: come to Him, and He will surely give you rest- a rest from the accusations of a guilty conscience- the condemning power of the law- the corroding cares of life- the sorrows of the world- the fear of death, judgment, and future punishment. Cast all your cares upon Him; rest in His love; trust in His promises; and look forward with joy to that long-desired day when you hope to rest with Him in the mansions of bliss.

Oh, divine Savior! be my portion, the lot of my inheritance. Then shall I rejoice in the midst of sorrows, and be calm in the midst of storms. Oh, speak peace to my troubled soul, and then all shall be still. Blessed Redeemer! all who come to You find rest unto their souls; and I would now come. Receive me in mercy. Cause me to know You as my Savior, and to rejoice daily in the joyful sound of mercy extended to the chief of sinners.

'There's a hand of mercy near me,
Though the waves of trouble roar;
There's an hour of rest to cheer me,
When the toils of life are over.
Happy hour! when saints are gaining,
That bright crown they longed to wear;
Not one spot of sin remaining,
Not one pang of earthly care.
Oh! to rest in peace forever,
Joined with happy souls above;
Where no foe my heart can sever
From the Savior whom I love.'

COME TO THE SAVIOR FOR COMFORT UNDER THE ILLS OF LIFE. The Christian's journey through this world is attended with many trials, afflictions, temptations, and sorrows. If he has his hours of holy joy, he has also his seasons of severe trial, when he needs the supporting arm of Jesus, his faithful, almighty Friend, to keep him from sinking beneath the waves of life's ocean. 'In the world,' says the Savior, 'you shall have tribulation.' 'We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.' 'Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.' Some of the ills that we are called to endure in our passage to the better country, are the loss of worldly substance, the opposition of an unbelieving world to our Christian profession, the corruptions of our own hearts, and the assaults of spiritual foes, bodily afflictions, and the removal of our friends by death.

In this world of mutability we are exposed to continual vicissitude of fortune. In a day, or an hour, all our worldly substance may be swept away. The sunshine of prosperity does not always last; clouds of adversity suddenly arise to darken our sky. 'For riches are not forever; and does the crown endure to every generation?' Change is written in the most legible characters on everything connected with human affairs. Today we may be in the most prosperous circumstances; tomorrow, reduced to extreme poverty. 'Will you set your eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven.'

In the world we will often meet with opposition at the hand of the unrighteous. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. But while reposing in the Savior, the Christian is happy even amid the hatred, the scorn, and derision of those who have never experienced the true pleasures of a religious life. 'Blessed are you,' says Christ, 'when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.'

As long as we are in this world of sin, we are exposed to many temptations and weaknesses. In the best of saints there are remains of sin, which will never be entirely eradicated until the period of our complete redemption comes. While contending with the depravity of our hearts, we are, at the same time, exposed to the attack of spiritual foes. How severe is the conflict which the saint is often called to endure with the enemies of his salvation! How often, in the course of his earthly pilgrimage, is he ready to cry out, from a sense of his inward corruptions and his exposure to the assaults of the evil one: 'O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' 'I shall now perish one day by the hand of my foes.' While looking around him for help, he sees that none but Jesus is able to deliver him- he flees to Him for refuge, and is safe. In that precious blood which was poured out upon the cross, he is more than a conqueror over all his inward corruptions, and his spiritual foes. His language now is: 'I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord.'

Here, we are subject to numerous physical ailments. The most violent diseases invade our system, and we are speedily stretched on beds of pain. 'He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain.' 'You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver melted in a crucible. You captured us in your net and laid burdens on our backs.' To the children of God afflictions are sent in mercy. They are directed by love. They are designed to unite us more closely to the Savior, to mortify indwelling sin, to purify our hearts, to wean us from earth, to elevate our affections to that blessed world where there shall be no more pain. 'And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his children? He said, My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.' 'As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.' 'My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.' 'Happy are those whom you discipline, Lord, and those whom you teach from your law. You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug for the wicked.'

Here, death removes our dearest friends from our sight, and consigns them to the silent grave. How soon are the tenderest earthly ties broken! In an instant, death enters the happy family circle, and removes a kind husband, or an affectionate wife, a beloved son or daughter. How frequently are several members of the same household, at nearly the same time, stretched on the bed of death; while the hearts of surviving relations are rent with piercing agony! Thus 'friend after friend departs,' thus 'star after star declines, until all are passed away.' Now, how delightful is it to trust in the Savior in the time of bereavement, when the heart is crushed and earth made desolate! How blessed, at such a season, is the privilege of coming to Him, who is the Resurrection and the Life; and of hearing His voice whispering in our ears the soothing words, that our pious father and mother, brother and sister, husband and wife, son and daughter, shall live again; and that we, if followers of them, shall soon meet them in a world where parting is unknown- where there is an eternal calm for those who weep, a blissful rest for every weary Christian pilgrim! In the day of bereavement we can find no support like that which Jesus gives to our fainting souls.

How cheering is it then to open the Volume of Inspiration, and read the glorious declaration: 'For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died.' Now will the Savior be unspeakably precious to us; now will heaven be still more attractive, when by faith we behold our pious friends translated to that happier world to shine in the light of a perfect, unclouded day. Oh, how exhilarating to think, with regard to those who have died in the Lord, that 'every gem which death rudely tears away from us here, is a glorious jewel forever shining there;' that 'every Christian friend that goes before us from this world is a ransomed spirit waiting to welcome us in heaven!'

Now, where are we to look for support, when encompassed with these, earthly ills, unless to Him who has so kindly assured us, that His grace is sufficient for us; for His strength is made perfect in weakness? And how cheering in the dark night of time, when the Christian is tossed by the tempest, and driven by the storm, to look upward, and by faith's eye discern, beyond the surrounding gloom, the Bright and Morning Star still guiding us onward to the port where all is calm and peaceful; to a world where all is irradiated by the splendor of a Sun that never sets- where the last grief is banished, and the cup of everlasting joy placed in every hand! 'The Great Counselor,' says Thomas Brooks, 'puts clouds and darkness round about Him, bidding us follow at His beck through the cloud, promising an eternal and uninterrupted sunshine on the other side.'

'Oh! who could bear life's stormy doom,
Did not Your word of love
Come brightly bearing through the gloom,
A peace-branch from above!
Then sorrow, touched by You, grows bright,
With more than rapture's ray,
As darkness shows us worlds of light
We never saw by day!'

By such cheering views of spiritual things our souls will be sustained in the hour of adversity; for we will then perceive that Jesus is on our side, and that every breeze of earthly sorrow is only wafting us to those high and heavenly abodes, where temporal ills are forever unknown. We will then rise above the storms of life, and be enabled to say with Paul, in the midst of trouble; 'I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.' Oh, then, when pressed by pursuing foes, or when ready to sink under the accumulated ills of life, let us come to Him who is the hope of Israel, the Savior thereof in the time of trouble. Our help is from Him. He is our defense. He will not allow our foot to be moved. He will keep our souls in safety. His eye will ever watch over us. He will preserve us from all evil. 'The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.' 'You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall compass me about with songs of deliverance.' 'He shall deliver you in six troubles: yes, in seven there shall no evil touch you.'

Weary mariner on life's tempestuous ocean, when afflictions cloud your sky, and billows roar around you, cling to the Savior in grateful, confiding love. Amid all your difficulties and dangers, He will whisper consolation to you, and support your fainting soul. Yes, amid floods of tribulation, if you are found relying on Him, a 'still small voice' will be heard, reanimating and cheering you with the richest consolation and the choicest promises. You will then be enabled to bear with composure the trials of life, knowing that, like the Captain of our salvation, you must also be made perfect through suffering; and that these light and momentary afflictions are working for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

You will then experience the sweetness of the divine promises, and in the midst of outward trouble, enjoy inward peace. Yielding the peaceable fruit of righteousness in your soul, these trials will bring your faith and love into lively exercise, compose your agitated spirit, and enable you to glorify the Lord even 'in the fires.' And 'when He gives quietness, who then can make trouble?'

It is the blessed privilege of believers, in their afflictions, to have One like the Son of God walking with them in the midst of the fire. In all the afflictions of the saints, Christ is with them; and He will bring them out of the 'furnace' as gold tried in the fire- purified seven times. 'In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them.' 'Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.' Thrice happy they who come to such a Savior- who enjoy such a consolation! 'Happy are you, O Israel, who is like unto you, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and who is the sword of your excellency!' 'Happy is that people that is in such a case; yes, happy is that people whose God is the Lord!'

'O for a breeze of heavenly love,
To waft my soul away,
To that celestial place above,
Where pleasures never decay.
Come, my Savior, O my Savior,
Come and bless Your people now,
While at Your feet we humbly bow,
O come and save us now;
Then we will sing our sufferings over,
And praise You evermore.
Eternal Spirit, deign to be
Our Pilot here below,
To steer through life's tempestuous sea,
Where stormy winds do blow.
From rocks of pride on either hand,
From quicksands of despair,
O guide us safe to Canaan's land,
Through every latent snare.
Anchor us in that port above,
On that celestial shore,
Where dashing billows never move,
Where tempests never roar.'

COME TO THE SAVIOR FOR SUPPORT IN THE HOUR OF DEATH. We are all standing on the shores of time, and before us stretches the unfathomable ocean of eternity. To this vast abyss the millions of earth's inhabitants are fast hastening. Every day that closes, every hour that passes, every moment that flies, is bringing us nearer to it. On its mighty surface every human being must soon embark; for what man is he that lives, and shall not see death? 'Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.' The grave is the home appointed for all living. Everything passes away. A great and mighty river, for ages and centuries, has been rolling on, and sweeping away all that ever lived, to the vast abyss of eternity. On that darkness light does not rise. From that unknown country none return. On that devouring deep, which has swallowed up everything, no vestige appears of the things that were. And still-

'The air of death breathes through our souls,
The dead all 'round us lie;
By day and night the death-bell tolls,
And says, "Prepare to die!"
The loving ones we love the best,
Like music all are gone!
And the wan moonlight bathes in rest
Their monumental stone.'

Death is the messenger that conducts us into the invisible world; and this messenger may be very near us. One step more, and his icy hand may be laid upon us to remove us from our dearest friends on earth, to dissolve all the attachments of life, to hide from us all earthly scenes, and to open to our view the solemn realities of an eternal world. It is appointed unto men once to die- and who will deny that it is a most serious thing to die- to appear before the bar of God- to leave this world, and enter upon an untried state of existence?

Now, will we not need more than human support in that solemn and trying hour when the skill of physicians is baffled- when the tears of friends are unavailing- when the cold sweat stands on our aching brow- when the pulse is ceasing to beat- when our body is about to return to the dust as it was, and our spirit, to God who gave it? Where then is this desired aid to be found? In the divine and compassionate Savior. Yes, all the support that is necessary to smooth, and enlighten, and cheer our passage to the tomb, is found in Jesus. The believer who comes to Him for sustaining grace in his last hour, will find that death is a disarmed foe- that the grave has been hallowed for his repose by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Standing on the Rock of Ages, he can look down into the gloomy mansion of the grave with composure and even with triumph. In death the Savior whom he has loved in life, will be very near him, showing Himself a very present help in trouble, consoling him with the promises of His grace, and cheering him with a blissful hope of immortality. Then will He indeed speak peace to the departing believer, whose death is precious in His sight.

How soul-comforting to hear the voice of Jesus, speaking to us in tones of the tenderest kindness, as we approach the river of death- 'When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you.' That voice which has so often spoken to us in life, through the word and ordinances of divine grace, will not be silent when we come to die. It is the blessed privilege of believers to hear the words of Jesus, while standing on the banks of Jordan.

'Yes, in death,
Amid the tumult of the body's pain,
That voice is heard, telling the sufferer
Of comfortings and of supportings, through
Jordan's cold waters; and its mellow tones
Linger until the last, then break in all
The ravishing, exulting airs of heaven.'
How blessed then to have the arms of Jesus, the Conqueror of death, upholding our shrinking souls, shielding us from all alarm, sweetening our passage through the dark valley, and conducting us safely through every tempest, and through every billow, into the promised rest above!

To the saint death is an unspeakable advantage, as it is the passage from the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan; the entrance to our Father's house, in which are the 'many mansions' of glory. It delivers him from all the evils incident to humanity- terminates his period of discipline, toil, trial, conflict- and brings him into a state of perfect holiness and happiness before the throne of God in the highest heavens. Hence, we read on the sacred page, 'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.' Death is numbered among the treasures of a Christian. Whether 'life or death- all are yours.'1L 22. It is his great gain. The last day of his life is to him the opening of immortality. 'For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' As soon as death terminates the believer's existence on earth, he enters upon the inheritance of all those exceeding great and precious promises which the Word of God holds forth to the children of faith. He passes at once from the darkness of earth to the light and glory of the celestial world. He puts off the mortal body, for that building of God, that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. He exchanges this valley of tears and death for a world from whose blissful mansions all sorrow flees away, and where there shall be no more death. He goes to meet, on a happier shore, the friends he loves- his companions in faith- and to share their heavenly rest, and to join with them in their celestial music.

He departs to be with Christ; and oh, what sincere follower of the adorable Redeemer, who is now enthroned amid heaven's ineffable glories, would not rather be absent from the body, to be present with Him! With what earnest affection did holy Paul desire to be with the blessed Savior, who is now holding out the crown of life to the faithful- who is ready to embrace us all with His gracious arms! 'For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.' Viewing our latter end in this scriptural light, may not every child of God, as he thinks of the blessings which death brings to the righteous, say with Job: 'I would not live always.'

'Who, who would live always, away from his God,
Away from yon heaven, that blissful abode,
Where the rivers of pleasures flow over the bright plains,
And the noontide of glory eternally reigns
Where the saints of all ages in harmony meet,
Their Savior and brethren transported to greet,
While the songs of salvation unceasingly roll,
And the smile of the Lord is the feast of the soul?'

We invite you to come to the Savior for support in the solemn hour of death. Would you be filled with the blissful hope of immortality as you stand on the borders of the ocean of eternity? Then come to the Savior! The righteous has hope in his death. And it is the religion of Christ alone that inspires this blessed hope in the departing believer. The Gospel is that glass which gives a fair and delightful prospect of those hills of Paradise and pleasure that lie beyond the grave. Would you be delivered from fear, while walking through the valley of the shadow of death- while standing on the banks of that river through which we must all pass? Then come to the Savior; and you may confidently say: 'Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.' It is the glory of the Christian religion thus to raise the soul above the fear of death. Would you be delivered from the power of the last enemy? Then come to the Savior, and you may say- 'God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave; for He shall receive me.' Would you be delivered from the sting of death? Then come to the Savior, exercising firm faith in the blood of His cross; and you may exclaim in the language of exultation, while descending the banks of the Jordan of death, and about to step into its dark waters- 'O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.' How can we endure the thought of meeting the messenger of death without the supporting arm of the Savior? Will not 'the terrors' of the last enemy fall heavily on us, if we are not found in Christ, the sinner's Friend, our only stay? How can our weary souls engage in that last, mortal conflict, if the Captain of our salvation is not leading us on to victory and to glory?

'If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the swelling of Jordan?' If we will not come to Him who has conquered death for believers, who will smooth and enlighten our passage through the rough and shadowy valley? Who will still the tossing of the stream of death and hush its roar? Who will calm our fears, and sustain our spirit in the last hour of its earthly struggle? Who will command the billows of death to waft us to the desired haven of eternal rest? Who will hold out for us the crown of life? Who will disclose to us the beauties and glories of heaven? Who will bring us to the mansions of felicity? Who will feed us with the bread of life, and lead us to the living fountains of waters? None but He who has the keys of death, and of the invisible world, can perform all this for us. It is the Savior alone, who can turn the night of death into the morning- even a morning 'without clouds'.

He will guide us safely over the ocean of life to yonder shore, where there is uninterrupted sunshine and ineffable joy. 'For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even unto death.' Oh, then, 'seek the Lord, and you shall live!' Come to the Savior for all these blessings. Come; for all things are ready. Then, in the hour of death Christ will be your refuge; then will His everlasting arms be underneath you; then will His rod and staff comfort you; then will He be with you until the last; and you shall awake amid the unutterable splendors of heaven, to be forever with the Savior in mansions of light and felicity. Then will the words of prophecy be finally accomplished in your happy experience: 'I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be your plagues, O grave, I will be your destruction.'

Happy, indeed, will be the departure of him who has truly come to the Savior for support in the hour of death. Though darkness may sometimes gather over his soul, yet it will speedily be dispelled by the piercing beams of the Sun of Righteousness. With him all is calm and serene; for his sins are forgiven. He has peace within: joy beams in his countenance. His soul is delighted with joyful prospects beyond the grave. He is filled with strong consolation. The sweet thought of going to his heavenly home now occupies his mind, elevating his views, and cheering his spirit. He thinks of the glories of his final rest- its fullness of joy- its blessed inhabitants- its delightful employments- its never-ending pleasures. He feels, that while earth is passing from his view, the portals of those blessed mansions of light are opening for his entrance, and he knows, that in yonder home of the redeemed he will die no more. Now is he joyful in glory; now does he sing aloud on his bed.

Said a pious minister of the Gospel, who was remarkably sustained by the Savior in his last earthly moments: 'Oh, that I had strength to shout! I feel so happy; I hope soon to be able. Oh, the precious Savior; what is the world to me, with all its vanity? Give me Jesus. Do not weep for me, I am going home.' How well are the feelings of the departing Christian, who is cheered and consoled by the sight of these glorious mansions looming through the mists of the dark valley, expressed by these beautiful and touching lines-
'My heavenly home is bright and fair;
Nor pain, nor death can enter there.
Its glittering towers the sun outshine,
Those heavenly mansion shall be mine.
I'm going home, I'm going home,
I'm going home, to die no more!
My Father's house is built on high,
Far, far above the starry sky
When from this earthly prison free,
That heavenly mansion mine shall be!
While here a stranger far from home,
Affliction's waves may round me foam;
And though like Lazarus, sick and poor,
My heavenly mansion is secure.
Let others seek a home below,
Which flames devour, or waves overflow,
Be mine the happier lot to own,
A heavenly mansion near the throne.
Then fail this earth, let stars decline,
And sun and moon refuse to shine;
All nature sink and cease to be,
This heavenly mansion stands for me!
I'm going home, I'm going home,
I'm going home, to die no more!'

Let us admire the rich grace of the Savior, who has provided such strong and blessed consolation for believers in the hour of death- a consolation which enables us to say: 'Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by clay.' 'My flesh and my heart fails; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.' Let us rejoice, that even in the dark valley of death, and in the swelling of Jordan, Jesus appears as the Star of Morning, to guide us to the light and blessedness of heaven's unclouded day. Let us keep our eyes fixed on this bright and Morning Star amid all the events of our earthly pilgrimage, until the glory of Emmanuel's land beams upon us- until we take up the song of salvation on the eternal bliss of Paradise.

Lord Jesus, bright and Morning Star, be my guide through life- my support in death- my portion through eternity. In the solemn hour of my departure be very near me, to sustain my drooping head, to fill me with hope and joy, to roll back the foaming wave, and to smooth my passage to the realms of day. O You, who, in Your amazing love for sinners, did condescend to assume our nature, and to die for us, illuminate with rays of heavenly light my pathway through the shadowy valley, dispel all the gloom of the grave, and lead me, with songs of victory, into the regions of life and immortality- the promised land of rest, beyond the swelling of Jordan. Yes-
'When the valley of death appears,
Faint and cold this mortal clay,
Kind Forerunner, soothe my fears,
Light me through the darksome way
Break the shadows,
Usher in eternal day.'
COME TO THE SAVIOR FOR THE FELICITIES OF HEAVEN. No created being can tell how great and invaluable those heavenly blessings are, which the Savior has procured for His followers. 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.' In the Word of God, however, we obtain a 'glimpse' of the glory of the redeemed before the throne, and with the blessed Volume of Inspiration in our hands, let us here, briefly, muse on some of their ineffable joys.

The redeemed dwell in a City of light, the new Jerusalem above, whose walls are of precious stones, whose gates of pearl, and whose streets of pure gold. How magnificent is the description which the apostle John gives of this glorious city, which he saw coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband!- 'So he took me in spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. It was filled with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious gem, crystal clear like jasper. The city was pure gold, as clear as glass. The twelve gates were made of pearls-each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass. No temple could be seen in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. Its gates never close at the end of day because there is no night. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter-no one who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty-but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.'

What a flood of light is poured over that golden city, whose glory emanates from the uncreated One, with whom is the fountain of all light and felicity! Let us ascend the Mount of Pisgah, and by the eye of faith, view the grandeur and magnificence of the heavenly City- that City which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. See! no shadows fall on those blessed mansions in the City of our God. All, all is brightness there- no night there. For there He, who is the brightness of the Father's glory, the Sun of Righteousness, shines with unveiled splendor, making endless day. It is the blessed vision of His face that renders the City so glorious; for the Lamb is the light of it. There, no natural luminary is needed; for we shall walk in the light of Emmanuel's countenance through an unending day. 'And they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they shall reign forever and ever.' Oh, who is not ready to welcome the long sweet light of the City of our God- the unbroken, eternal sunshine on the banks of the pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb!

The redeemed enjoy the best society. 'No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.'

They dwell with God, and behold His face in righteousness. 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.' 'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.' No heart can conceive the blessedness of this beatific vision. To see Him who is invisible- to see the blessed God with the eye of the mind- to enjoy perpetual communion with Him- is a source of the purest and most rapturous joy. Oh, to dwell forever with God in that blissful realm of love, where we shall see Him not through a glass darkly, but face to face- where we shall know as also we are known! What clear and enrapturing views of the perfections of the Divine nature will there be afforded us! On those shores of life and immortality none will ever have reason to say with afflicted Job- 'Oh, if only I knew where to find God, I would go to his throne and talk with him there! Behold, I go forward, but He is not there; and back ward, but I cannot perceive Him: on the left hand, where He does work, but I cannot behold Him: He hides Himself on the right hand, that I cannot see Him.'

The saints in light behold the glory of the Redeemer, sit with Him on His throne, and enjoy His companionship. Says Christ, 'Father, I will that they also whom You have given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory. which You have given me.' 'To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and have sat down with my Father in His throne.' To be with Christ, to sit with Him on His throne, to enjoy His companionship, to behold His glory- will constitute the very heaven of the redeemed. Oh, with what rapture of spirit will we then behold His glory, when we see Him as He is, invested with all the perfections of the divine nature, shining as the Bright and Morning Star- as the brightness of His Father's glory, and the express image of His Person!

In heaven we shall have the society of the innumerable company of holy angels; and there we shall also sit down at the banquet of redeeming love with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob- there we shall meet the saints of all ages and nations- a great multitude, which no man can number- and mingle with them in blissful harmony, celebrating the praises of Him that sits upon the throne, forever and ever.

The redeemed sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, the new song of salvation. 'And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God's kingdom and his priests.' 'Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.' 'After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, "Salvation comes from our God on the throne and from the Lamb!"

How ravishing is this song, the theme of which is salvation by the cross of Christ! Standing before the throne of God, and serving Him day and night, the redeemed are swelling forevermore the strain of praise to Him who once was slain on Calvary. It is pleasant to sing this song of salvation as we journey homeward; but oh, how sweet to sing it on golden harps by the banks of the pure river of the water of life, in the midst of the upper Paradise, when all the ransomed ones shall meet, 'from sin and sorrow free!' How unspeakable the bliss! 'And I heard a sound from heaven like the roaring of a great waterfall or the rolling of mighty thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together. This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. And no one could learn this song except those 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.'

Oh, when shall we listen to the melody of heaven? When shall we rise to join the music of those brighter skies? When shall we sing in exalted strains the song of Moses and the Lamb? How ardently have the children of faith desired this heavenly felicity! How have they longed to reach the peaceful heaven- to mingle with the choirs of saints and angels round the throne, to take up the heavenly harps, and sing the hallelujah, blessing, honor, glory, and power, to Him that sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever!

'That heavenly music! what is it I hear?
The notes of the harpers ring sweet in the air
And see, soft unfolding those portals of gold;
The King all arrayed in His beauty behold!
O! give me, O! give me the wings of a dove!
Let me hasten my flight to those mansions above
Ay, it is now that my soul on swift pinions would soar,
And in ecstasy bid earth adieu evermore!

The redeemed rest from sorrow and pain, and all the ills and burdens of the present life. Emmanuel's land is one of sweet, everlasting repose. When we land on that peaceful shore, where no billows ever beat, where no tempests ever roar, our days of toil and suffering will have forever ended. There the last tear is wiped away by our Father's hand. 'And God shall wipe away all tears from their 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.' 'Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.' Oh, blessed world, where sin, and sorrow, and sighing, and death never come; when shall your ineffable glories open to my enraptured view? When shall I see the King in His beauty, and the land that is very far off?

While sitting under the shadow of the Tree of Life in the midst of Paradise, how delightful will it be to look back on the way by which the Lord has led us through the wilderness of this world, and to think of those great tribulations out of which we have come! How will the thought sweeten our heavenly repose, and cause us to ascribe unceasing praise to Him who led us forth by a right way, that we might go to a city of habitation- that we might enjoy a peaceful rest in the heavenly Paradise. Oh, the sweet thought- 'There remains therefore a rest to the people of God.' Yes-
'There is an hour of peaceful rest,
To mourning wanderers given;
There is a tear for souls distressed,
A balm for every wounded breast,
It is found above- in heaven!
There is a soft, a downy bed,
It is fair as breath of even',
A couch for weary mortals spread,
Where they may rest their aching head,
And find repose in heaven!'

The redeemed will never die. 'And there shall be no more death.' In the resurrection the saints will rise to immortality, and be clothed with bodies like unto Christ's glorious body. Eternal health and vigor, strength and beauty, will be given to them. Then death will be forever swallowed up in victory. How unlike this region of mortality is yon blessed world! Here, our dearest and most valuable friends are removed from us by the relentless arm of death. There, they shall live forevermore. Here, we must soon, very soon, part with those we love the best. There, there shall be no more separation- no more change through the circling years of eternity!

The felicity of the redeemed will be eternal. In those brighter skies the Sun of Righteousness will never set: there He shall always shine in meridian splendor; and from His gladdening and life-giving beams all mourning shall forever flee away. There, God will be our God forever and ever. Blessed thought! Eternity is the crowning glory of the felicity of the redeemed. 'But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: you shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.' 'And they shall reign forever and ever.' The crown which they wear is an incorruptible one- a crown of glory, that fades not away. The kingdom which they inherit is an everlasting one. The house which is prepared for them by an ascended Savior, is 'eternal in the heavens,' and from it they 'shall go no more out.'

How delightful, in a world like this, where the dearest ties are so quickly broken, where the cup of joy is so soon emptied, to think of that unchanging day beyond the grave- of those blessed scenes of permanent delight- of joys the most rapturous- of a fellowship the most sweet, intimate, and enduring- of a whole eternity of love! What consolation is there in the thought of the endlessness of heaven's joys! How it expands the affections of the soul, and raises them above this passing world! How it bears us above the cares, the trials, and afflictions of our pilgrimage, and causes these very tribulations to redound to our future, everlasting welfare!

Now, who is not ready to come to the Savior for those heavenly felicities? He has prepared them for believers: and it is His royal prerogative to bestow them upon all who come to Him. His own language is; 'I give unto them eternal life.' This includes all the blessings of glory. How clear and emphatic the language! Yes, Jesus will bring His redeemed ones to the City of light, the heavenly Jerusalem, dwell with them, put new songs of praise in their mouths, remove from them all sorrow and pain, give them fullness of joy, invest them with white robes, and crown them with immortality.
And now, shall we remain away from the Savior, since the fountain of eternal life- of supreme bliss- is with Him? and since He so freely dispenses His divine favors? Let us repair to Him for these felicities, and He will enrich us ever more. Let us come with faith in the blood of His cross; and when we pass from earth, we shall dwell in those mansions which have been prepared by His grace, and enjoy all those pleasures which flow in the presence of God.

COME TO THE SAVIOR NOW. 'Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.' How solemn and important are these words; and how deeply do they concern us pilgrims of a day, pressing on to an eternal abode! Now is the time for us to come to the Savior: now is our day of salvation. Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.' The present moment only is ours; the very next may find our spirits before the bar of God. How invaluable then, to us, is this moment for securing a saving interest in the Savior, and the joys of heaven! The invitations of the gospel are given in the present tense, because of the shortness of time, the brevity and uncertainty of life, and the impossibility of obtaining redemption beyond the grave. Let us here reflect on these momentous topics.
How many souls have gone down to the pit of the lost, by refusing or neglecting to come to the Savior in this accepted time and day of salvation- now. Many still imagine they will have time enough to attend to the important concerns of salvation. Before them long years of earthly pleasure rise up in prospect; while, perhaps, tomorrow the current of life will suddenly stop in their veins, and the icy hand of death lay them low in the dust. 'Today man is, tomorrow he is not seen.' In the Scriptures the brevity of our life is expressed under various similitudes, such as the flower of the field- the wind- a leaf driven to and fro- a shadow- a runner- the swift ships- an eagle hastening to the prey- an handbreadth- a span- a vanity- a dream- a tale that is told. 'My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.' 'Behold, You have made my days as an handbreadth; and my age is as nothing before You: verily, every man at his best state is altogether vanity.' 'Our days on earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.' 'For what is your life? It is like vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.' 'All flesh is grass, and all the goodness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withers, the flower fades.' 'In the morning it flourishes, and grows up; in the evening it is cut down, and withers.'

'Like tender flowers, we open the bud,
And greet the morning ray;
But before it is noon we droop and fade,
The creatures of a day.
Yet on this little day of life
What mighty things depend
Eternal torments, or the joy
That knows no bound nor end.'

We should come to the Savior now because our time is short, and its continuance every moment uncertain to us. 'Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence!' 'The time is short.' Oh, the brevity of time! Oh, the rapidity of its flight! Look back on past years- how quickly have they gone! And how swiftly does the present moment fly, still bearing our life away! How few properly weigh the value of time! What multitudes spend its golden hours on empty joys, refusing to come to the Savior for the glories of immortality! And how many never stop to think of the endless joys or griefs which are suspended on time's flying moments! Let us regard the voice which calls us to the Savior now- this precious instant, Now. This moment 'strive to enter in at the strait gate.' 'Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.' 'Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you go.'

Let us seriously reflect on the shortness of time, that we may be led to seek the Savior now, while the day of grace continues- while the golden scepter of forgiveness is extended to us. Today the portals of heaven are opened for us; tomorrow they may be closed upon us FOREVER. Then let us not say with Felix, 'Go your way for the time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for you.' Let us instantly flee to the cross of Jesus. When we have such a brief space in which to attend to the interests of our souls, should we put off those momentous spiritual concerns until what we call a more convenient season, since 'death stands watching at our side, eager to stop the living tide?' What folly, what infatuation for pilgrims, who tarry here but a night, to pursue a course of procrastination in matters of religion! If we refuse or neglect to come to the Savior now, we may never have another opportunity. Tomorrow's sun may rise on our lifeless remains. The grave may be ready to receive us, and the green turf to cover us.
Such has been the case with thousands, who were dreaming of long years of earthly happiness, and neglecting the blessed Savior and His great salvation. While in health, death has come up into their windows; and they have suddenly passed away as a vision of the night. Some of them, doubtless, thought of coming to the Savior in future days, but alas, 'tomorrow' never rose on them. They failed to improve the present hour; and now, all of life's precious moments have fled- they have forever lost that 'inestimable treasure, time'- they have lost their souls- they have lost heaven- they have lost all that is good, and incurred all that is evil. 'How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly, consumed with terrors.' 'One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.' 'Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come. Like fish in a net or birds in a snare, people are often caught by sudden tragedy.'

How little do we think of the shortness of time and the nearness of eternity. And how seldom do we take into serious consideration the weighty concerns which are suspended on the present hour. If we had more just conceptions of the vanity and brevity of our life, we would be more diligent in attending to our spiritual concerns at the present time. Look again at the shortness and frailty of human life. Look at past generations. Where are they now? In the grave- the land of darkness and forgetfulness. How brief has been their existence! They have passed away like the morning cloud and early dew. Look at the present generation. How it vanishes! In a little while, every living thing that now moves on the face of the earth, will have forever disappeared from it. Look forward to future generations. The same great change will take place with regard to them. All, all are marching to the grave and their places on earth shall know them no more. Oh, that we might be induced by these reflections to come to the Savior NOW. Oh, that we might lay these things to heart. 'Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end.' 'Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live forever.' 'Where are the men,' asked Chalmers, in one of his most thrilling and solemn discourses- 'Where are the men who a few years ago gave motion and activity to this busy theater? Where are those farmers who lived on the ground that you now occupy? Where are those laboring poor who dwelt in your houses and villages? Where are those ministers who preached the lessons of piety, and talked of the vanity of this world? Where are those people who, on the Sabbaths of other times, assembled at the sound of the church-bell, and filled the house in which you are now sitting? Their habitation is the cold grave, the land of forgetfulness . . . . . And we are the children of these fathers, and heirs to the same awful and stupendous destiny. Ours is one of the many generations who pass in rapid succession through this region of life and of sensibility. The time in which I live is but a small moment of this world's history. When we rise in contemplation of ages that are past, the momentary being of an individual shrinks into nothing. It is the flight of a shadow; it is a dream of vanity; it is the rapid glance of a meteor; it is a flower which every breath of heaven can wither into decay; it is a tale which as a remembrance vanishes; it is a day which the silence of a long night will darken and overshadow. In a few years our heads will be laid in the cold grave, and the green turf will cover us. The children who come after us will tread upon our graves; they will weep for us a few days; they will talk of us a few months; they will remember us a few years; then our memory shall disappear from the face of the earth, and not a tongue shall be found to recall it. How perishable is human life, yet no man lays it to heart!'
How short is the space between us and the grave! What is our life? It is truly a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. What is time? It is a stream which is rapidly bearing us all to the boundless ocean of eternity. In a little while a mighty angel will stand with one foot upon the sea and one upon the earth, and with uplifted hands swear by Him that lives forever and ever, that time shall be no longer. Let us ask again, with all seriousness, WHAT IS TIME?

I asked an aged man, a man of cares,
Wrinkled, and curved, and white with hoary hairs;
"Time is the warp of life," he said, "Oh tell,
The young, the fair, the gay, to weave it well!"
I asked the ancient, venerable dead,
Sages who wrote, and warriors who bled;
From the cold grave a hollow murmur flowed,
"Time sowed the seed we reap in this abode!"
I asked a dying sinner, before the tide
Of life had left his veins- "Time!" he replied;
"I've lost it! ah, the treasure!" and he died.
I asked the golden sun and silver spheres,
Those bright chronometers of days and years;
They answered, "Time is but a meteor glare,"
And bade us for Eternity prepare.
I asked the Seasons, in their annual round,
Which beautify or desolate the ground;
And they replied (no oracle more wise),
"Tis folly's blank, and wisdom's highest prize!"
I asked a lost spirit, but oh, the shriek
That pierced my soul! I shudder while I speak!
It cried, "a particle! a speck! a mite
Of endless years, duration infinite!"
Of inanimate things my dial I
Consulted, and it made me this reply-
"Time is the season fair of living well,
The path of glory, or the path of Hell!"
I asked my Bible and it said,
"Time is the present hour, the past is fled;
Live! live today! tomorrow never yet
On any living being rose or set!"
I asked Old Father Time himself at last;
But in a moment he flew swiftly past-
His chariot was a cloud, the viewless wind
His noiseless steeds; which left no trace behind.
I asked a mighty angel, who shall stand
One foot on sea, and one on solid land;
"By Heaven," he cried, "I swear the mystery's o'er;
"Time was," he cried, "but Time shall be no more!"

We should come to the Savior now, because is at the door. And what is eternity- vast, boundless ETERNITY? Who can properly speak of it? Who can unfold the mighty import of this single word, ETERNITY? No one. And let us remember that we are candidates for eternity- heirs of everlasting bliss
or woe! Oh, then, let us endeavor to feel that we are walking on the very borders of the eternal world; and prepare, by coming the Savior now, for that land of solemn, unchanging realities- for an eternity of glory in heaven.

Let us come to the Savior now, because the salvation of our souls is precious, and their loss unspeakably great. The present time is called the day of salvation; and the passing hours are given to us, that we may attend to the all-important concerns of our undying souls. And how solemn the thought that 'every moment that God gives to man, shall return at the appointed day, and make its report of every deed, and whisper, and thought before the
judgment throne!' The soul is of divine origin, and it shall live through all eternity in supreme bliss; or inconceivable misery. How important then is the salvation of an
immortal spirit! Who can properly estimate the value of a single soul ? It is worth infinitely more than the whole world. 'For what shall it profit a man,' asks the Savior Himself; 'if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' How dreadful,
beyond conception or description, for an immortal spirit to be hastening to the pit of the lost, despising the merciful, invitations of the blessed Redeemer! Who can describe the
miseries of a lost soul, when the door of the bottomless pit has closed upon it forever? In the thrilling language of Robert Hall, 'But what, my brethren, if it be lawful to indulge such a thought, what would be the funeral obsequies of a lost soul? Where shall we find the tears fit to be wept at such a spectacle? Or could we realize the calamity in all its extent, what tokens of commiseration and concern
would be deemed equal to the occasion? Would it suffice for the sun to veil his light, and the moon her brightness; to cover the ocean with mourning, and the heavens with
sackcloth; or, were the whole fabric of nature to become animated and vocal, would it be possible for her to utter a groan too deep, or a cry too piercing, to express the magnitude and extent of such a catastrophe? '

To prevent so great a loss as that of the soul, let us come to the Savior now, cast ourselves at His footstool, and implore His rich mercy. Let us now listen to His entreating voice, and behold Him knocking at the door of our hearts. Let us now open the door, and He will come in, and sup with us. 'Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; If any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and be with me.' Then all things will be ours- all the blessings of the everlasting covenant- all the glories of heaven. Then, when we are about to finish our earthly course- when we stand on the banks of Jordan, and see the crown of glory shining for us in the promised land beyond the shores of time, we may sweetly and joyfully sing-

'My race is over, the prize is won,
My everlasting bliss begun,
And every evil gone.
See, see, the trooping angels come,
Upon their wings to bear me home,
Sent from my Father's throne.
I see the palm that I shall bear,
And crown of glory my head shall wear,
Bought with my Savior's blood;
Warm on my heart I feel the joy,
Which ever shall my harp employ;
I live on angels' food.
My breast in fire seraphic glows,
I drink the stream of life that flows
Pure from the throne divine.
My Savior's face I now shall see,
Who died and rose again for me,
And in His presence shine.
Now, now I shall forever share
The place of rest His hands prepare,
And join the hymning band,
That sing, while kindling rapture swells
Each bosom, endless glory dwells
In our Emmanuel's land.
Come now, attending angels, come,
And waft me to my promised home;
Haste, haste, the skies explore-
I mount, I fly, I burst away,
I mingle with eternal day,
And sin and weep no more.'

Before closing this volume, we would once more earnestly invite you, as you value the salvation of your soul, the favor of God, and the joys of heaven, to come to the Savior now, and learn of Him the path to glory. Daily meditating on His Person and His redeeming work, come to Him for those heavenly blessings which He alone can confer, and which will make you eternally rich. May the Holy Spirit bring these truths borne to your heart with divine efficacy, constraining you to love the blessed Savior, to extol the riches of His grace, and to live to His glory on earth, until in heaven you shine as a star forever and ever. May your language now be that of the apostle Paul, 'For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.' 'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.' On life's dark and troubled ocean, may Jesus be your STAR, to guide you safely to the port of heavenly peace. Oh, while His voice of mercy sounds aloud, listen to his gracious words, 'I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.'

Blessed Jesus, while You are waiting to be gracious, may we be enabled by Your grace to come to You, that our guilty souls may be washed in Your precious blood; that we may be clothed in Your spotless righteousness, and prepared for the mansions of never-ending bliss. You our only hope, our trust, our stay; and may all our well-springs be in You. May we now embrace You as our divine Redeemer; and daily live on Your infinite fullness. Deeply interest us in the everlasting blessings of Your atonement and intercession; and may we be no longer insensible to Your wondrous love as displayed in the work of redemption. May Your love pervade our hearts, and bring us that peace which passes all understanding. May we daily search the Scriptures, which testify of You, and be made wise unto salvation.

May we now attend to the one thing needful, remembering the time is short; that the night comes in which none can work; and that there is no salvation in the grave, on the verge of which we stand. May our souls be weaned from the vanities of this transitory world, and placed on the sublime, and holy, and unending joys of the saints' rest, in the upper Paradise. May Your name and Your work be very precious to us in all our wanderings as pilgrims of earth. May the sincerest desires of our souls be to know more and more about the infinite excellence of Your Person, and the marvelousness of that grace, which You have so abundantly manifested to the world in Your death upon the cross for transgressors. May the great mystery of godliness- God manifested in the flesh- be the subject of our high and holy meditation in the house of our pilgrimage, until death shall bear us to the courts of the celestial Zion, where we shall see You face to face, and learn the new and everlasting songs of the general assembly and Church of the first-born.

May we now love to think of You in Your original glory with the Father, before the foundation of the world was laid, or the sky spread out, when Your delights were with the sons of men. May we delight to contemplate the object of Your glorious mission to earth, and to trace Your blessed footsteps through this valley of tears, from the manger to the cross, and from the grave up to God's right hand. May our hearts be cheered by the sweet thought of Your continual intercession for us in heaven; and may we greatly rejoice when we look forward to Your glorious appearing at the last day. Awaken us from our spiritual slumbers; and deeply impress on our minds the interesting, important, and solemn lessons which these sacred truths teach. May the bright beams of Your grace shine into our hearts, causing us to behold Your splendor as the Sun of Righteousness, and to rejoice in Your salvation.

O blessed Savior, may we be truly guided to You; enlightened and sanctified by Your grace; and safely carried in the arms of Your love through all the agitated scenes of life to the land of eternal rest beyond the swelling of Jordan. In death may we sing of Your loving kindness, and Your power to save our souls; and when we pass the valley of mortality, oh may we find mansions of glory prepared for us in Your Father's house, where You shall feed us, and lead unto living fountains of waters, and wipe away all tears from our eyes. Oh, grant, that in those blissful realms of everlasting light, where peace and rest forever dwell, we, may be among that happy throng who shall encompass Your throne with the songs of salvation; and behold with rapturous delight Your glory as that of the only begotten of the Father; as the glory of the Star of Jacob- the Bright and Morning Star.

'When marshaled on the nightly plain,
The glittering host bestud the sky;
One Star alone, of all the train,
Can fix the sinner's wandering eye.
Hark! hark! to God the chorus breaks,
From every host, from every gem;
But one alone the Savior speaks,
It is the Star of Bethlehem.
Once on the raging seas I rode,
The storm was loud, the night was dark,
The ocean yawned, and rudely blowed
The wind that tossed my foundering bark.
Deep horror then my vitals froze,
Death-struck, I ceased the tide to stem;
When suddenly a Star arose,
It was the Star of Bethlehem.
It was my guide, my light, my all,
It bade my dark forebodings cease;
And through the storm and danger's thrall
It led me to the port of peace.

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