They remember that they see that the Lord is good; they realize their most exalted hopes. began in the world below to taste and and they bless God that he opened their eyes to see his goodness; and they wonder they did not see it more clearly. When they cast their thoughts back over the scenes they passed through in their probationary state, they see that their path from the beginning to the end of life, was strewed with the fruits of God's love. They see, as they never saw before, the forbearance and goodness of God towards them, while they lived in sin. They now see far more clearly than they ever saw in the world below, the glory of God's eternal and sovereign love, which provided a Saviour for them, and inclined their hearts to receive him; that love which watched over them through their whole course; which strengthened them in their weakness; which delivered them from the power of their enemies; which guarded them against the ruinous effects of a deceitful and wicked heart; which restored their wandering feet; which sustained and comforted them in all their trials, and made them conquerors and more than conquerors. When they look towards the pit of destruction, with a full consciousness, that it is their merited portion, and yet find that they are saved from it, and that an abundant entrance has been ministered to them into the kingdom of heaven, and that they are brought there, not by works of righteousness which they have done, but by the abounding grace of God; oh! what a clear view, what a vivid impression they will have of the immeasurable love of their God and Saviour! and with what wonder and delight will they dwell upon it. Their conception of divine love is so much superior to anything attained to before, that it seems to be a new discovery. It is indeed a new discovery; for they not only see with greater clearness what they saw in part before, but they see much that was concealed from them, even in their most favored state on earth. They began to discover the goodness of God when they were first enlightened. That was their childhood, the first period of discovery. The second period followed the period of youth; and through that period their knowledge of the God of love was increasing in clearness. Now they have come to the period of complete manhood in the world above; that world which needs not our inferior lights - because God himself is the Sun that shines perpetually there, and the splendor of his character fills the minds of all the inhabitants with perfect light. And yet their knowledge of God will constantly increase, because their capacity will increase; and their continual experience of the blessedness which comes from the inexhaustible treasures of divine love will make constant additions to their knowledge. This is the heaven of the saints; to be forever with God, to behold his glory, forever to love him, and forever to enjoy his love. This is the life eternal promised to believers. This is the fulness of joy, and pleasure forevermore. TWO SERMONS DELIVERED IN THE CHAPEL OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, ANDOVER, SERMON I. Isaiah 55: 8, 9.- 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. FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS, SAITH THE LORD. FOR AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGHER THAN THE EARTH; SO ARE MY WAYS HIGHER THAN YOUR WAYS, AND MY THOUGHTS THAN YOUR THOUGHTS. THE prophet here speaks in the name of God, and says: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, or, as it is in the original, he will multiply pardons, and then he adds, "for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord; for as the heavens are higher than the earth; so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." The Lord will abundantly pardon —for his thoughts and ways are inconceivably higher than ours. This then is the sentiment of the text; that the mercy which God exercises in the forgiveness of sin is exceedingly above that which is found in the heart of man. This sentiment we are now particularly to consider. And may God grant that our contemplations on this subject may inspire us with devout admiration of the height and depth of divine mercy. Turn then your thoughts to this theme in which we are all so deeply concerned, and consider in what respects the mercy which God exercises in forgiveness, exceeds that which is found in man. First. The mercy of God in forgiveness is far above that which is found in man, in respect to the number of the offences which he forgives. The prophet says, he will multiply pardons. And the Apostle says: "the free gift is of many offences to justification." In this respect, God's thoughts and ways are far superior to ours. The spirit of forgiveness is contrary to our natural disposition. Unrenewed man, when insulted or injured, is resentful, and meditates revenge. And even Christians find it hard to forgive, especially if the offences committed against them are multiplied. There is no part of the Christian character in which we are commonly more deficient. When anything is done to lower our reputation, or to interfere with our worldly interests; how quick are our resentful passions to kindle! And if, through divine grace, we attain to a feeling of forgiveness towards a person, who injures us once, or in a few instances; how are our kind feelings overcome, and our resentment excited, if his injuries are many times repeated. What a long struggle would most of us have with our own hearts, before we could come to a feeling of real forgiveness and kindness towards one who had, in numberless instances, been acting the part of an enemy, and had plotted and labored, to injure us. Even if he should repent, still how difficult it would be to forgive and forget so many offences. Such is man. How feeble and scanty is the feeling of forgiveness in our hearts! And to how few offences does it reach. Think now of the mercy of God. How high does it rise above what is found in man! The sins which we have committed against God, are more than can be numbered. We multiply our offences. But God can multiply pardons still more. Our transgressions abound; but his forgiving mercy superabounds. Secondly. The same appears in regard to the number of of fenders whom God forgives. If we should get our hearts so softened with kind feeling, that we should be disposed to forget all the offenecs of a single individual; yet what could we do, if all around us should become our enemies? What could we do, if all the world should combine their efforts to vex and injure us? Who of us would have a principle of love and forgiveness powerful enough, to meet half way such a killing emergency as this? How would the flow of affection within us cease, and our spirits wither away, if only a small number of men, especially those who have been the objects of our love, should prove treacherous and hostile? Who would venture to predict that his benignant feelings would hold out, and his heart be prompt to forgive in such circumstances as these? Behold now the transcendent love of God! His forgiving mercy is large enough to reach to a whole world of rebels; and it does actually reach to all believers a multitude which no man can number. God forgives a thousand, and ten thousand offenders as readily as he forgives a single individual. He is never weary of forgiving. After he has pardoned millions of sinners, he is just as ready to pardon millions more. Verily this is not after the manner of men. Thirdly. God's thoughts and ways are far above ours in forgiving offences which have been long continued. As to ourselves;-though we may have a heart to forgive a man who injures us for a few days; our forgiving temper is almost sure to fail, if his injuries are long continued. For a time, we may indulge the hope that he will soon be sensible of his error, and become our friend. But if we have long experienced his injuries, and have long been impressed with the perverseness of his disposition; our feelings are very apt to be disturbed, and our meekness and kindness to give way to anger and ill will. See now how different it is with the mercy of God. The whole race of mankind have been sinning against him thousands of years; and yet he continues to look upon them with a perfect readiness to forgive. So it is in regard to every generation of men; and so in regard to individuals. Let them sin ever so long, |