ON CHRIST'S PREPARING HEAVEN. HRIST went to glory through conflict, fufferings, and death; and so prepared the way thither for his difciples, by a complete conqueft of all their fpiritual enemies: Hé went as the church's head and reprefentative, to take poffeffion of what he had merited for his people; and as their High Prieft, to prefent before the Father his perfect facris fice, in their behalf; and thus he may be confidered as preparing heaven for their coming, as they could never have been admitted there, if he had not so entered. Moreover, his own prefence there may be viewed as a preparation of that blissful ftate for his difciples, for "where fhould the living members reft, but with their living Head?"" Whom have I in heaven," faid Afaph, "but thee? and on earth there is none that I defire befide thee!" It is heaven begun below to enjoy his prefence here, and heaven complete above to fee him as he is. Where love is fupreme on the throne, and perfect in every fubject, the government must be truly glorious, and obedience truly delightful. Confider fellow-chriftians, what affections the gracious Redeemer meant to excite in the hearts of his difciples by this conduct. He meant to raise our hearts to heaven, as our only abiding home, to wean them from the world, as unfit to fatisfy the boundless defires kindled by his Spirit in the regenerate foul, and to train us, by lively expectation and fweet fortaftes of glory, for the full manifestation of his infinite love and lovelinefs, which we could not bear all at once. The Lord has, therefore, appointed us a trying time before he takes us to glory, that our faith and patience may grow; a waiting time, that our hope may grow; and a weaning time, that our affections may be willingly and deliberately fixed on himself, who alone is able to fatisfy and fill them for eternity. What a noble profpect does Chrift's return afford the be liever! firft in the power of his Spirit in the latter days; and afterwards in person at the last day! A ruined Antichrift, a chained enemy, a conquered world, a triumphant Gospel, a reigning Saviour, and an univerfal church! To be fucceeded by a glorious refurrection into a state of incorruptible purity; an eternal inheritance in glory, together with millions of holy and happy faints and angels; the everlasting and uninter VOL. I. Mm rupted enjoyment of communion with God in Chrift Jefus'; and to complete all, the delightful reflection of God's being glorified in our falvation, more than in all his works of crea tion befide. JOSEPH. DEATH, A VISION. ASSING the other day through Cheapfide, I met a funeral proceffion, a hearfe, feveral mourning coaches, and all the fable apparatus of death. I was ftruck at the contraft, fo manifeft between this proceffion and all that was moving about it: And thefe fcenes fo occupied my mind, that I confider them as the cause of a vifionary dream which I had on the following night, wherein death was reprefented as driving his hearfe and proceffion through that populous street, and addreffing himself to various perfons who met him in his route. "Ye numerous paffengers, going and coming on each fide of the way, whofe afpects manifeft that you are bent on different fchemes, which you deem of importance: Know! that whatever your bufinefs may be, ye are all haftening to my territories. You who are young and gay, and you who are more advanced in life, are moving with different paces, toward that houfe of mine which is appointed for all living. You, who are arrayed in the height and variety of the fashion, will foon, put on your last fuit, and like the corpfe in this hearfe be infhrouded by death. You, whofe plumes are high, and proudly nod over your giddy heads, will foon occupy my plumed hearfe, and your vanity will ceafe for ever. Some of you may be driving to the Temple of Hymen, and pleafing yourselves with profpects of many years' happiness, but you muft foon fubmit to my cold embraces; and your connexions and enjoyments, however dear and delightful, must be refigned at my command, and be exchanged for the gloomy folitudes of my kingdom. "Ye foolish people and unwife, who in your crowded carriages are haftening to various places of diffipation, folly, and vice, remember that the heart of the fool is in the house of mirth. Know that I often vifit thefe delufive fcenes, fnatch the frighted victims from their fatal feftivities, and plunge them into outer darkness. Even lately I feized feveral giddy wretches on the threshold of one of thefe feminaries of vice which you are driving to. Know, foolish citizens, that what I have done, I may do again. In my next vifit I may come in a fire, an earthquake, or a storm, and fwallow up the crowded fabric, and all its unthinking and deluded company. Stop, ye cruel parents, look on my retinue, and return to your houfes! are ye fo mad as to drive your children to Tophet, and offer them to the devouring idol, Diffipation? Ye are rapidly advancing in the broad way, and your fteps will foon take hold on hell. Carry therefore your little ones home, read them a lecture on what you have feen in this ftreet, and fo teach them to number their days, that they may apply their hearts unto wifdom. "I perceive a carriage advancing, whofe armorial bear ings declare it to belong to the Bishop of the City:-Remember, my Lord, you and I wear the fame livery; it is my business to kill, but your duty to prepare men for my stroke. It is evident that I work too faft for you; for many under your charge feel my dart in their vitals, before they poffefs repentance in their hearts. Where lies the fault, my Lord? for a fault there is fomewhere! You have many affiftants in this great city, who are well paid for carrying on the work of preparation; but by what I fee and hear where I vifit your flock, very few are informed of my power, and are prepared to fubmit to my ftroke. The bells toll, and the churches are opened every Sabbath-day; but your affiftants, in general, are very fparing of their labour, and care not to disturb their hearers by preaching on my certain dominion over all men, nor do they fhow them by what means they may make me their friend, and have a happy paffage through my dark valley. I would have you look to these things, my Lord: You know I am not ceremonious, you and I fhal meet again ere long, and I wish to meet you as a friend, and by my advice to fubferve your beft interefts.' "Here comes a confequential fon of Galen, whofe fame is widely fpread, and whofe medical skill is highly applauded: Know, Sir! that with all your fame and confequence you are my fervant, you are retained by me, and often forward my work. You are parading through this city in your way, as I am in mine: But I have fomewhat to fay against you! While I am inceffantly looking to the end of my work, and warning men to think of their latter end; you feldom let your patients know the worst of their cafe, but flatter them with the hopes of recovery, till they have almost entered on my territories. Although you are conftantly frequenting the chambers where I appear, you ftudiously avoid any converfation with me. Now, Mr. Physician, permit me to ex hort you to heal yourfelf: Remember, that however shy you at prefent may be, you must foon bow to my fceptre, and vifit my dominions. For the prefent, Sir, pafs on, reflect on what I have faid, and do as much good as you can till I call for you.' "Here are a few of the ambaffadors of the Prince of Life and Peace; of different denominations, but all of my acquaintance: It is part of your study and miniftry to make men familiar with me. Formerly, I could not ftep into a house without all the family crying out for fear; but fince ye have held forth the word of life, the very children learn to be familiar with me. I bow at the remembrance of your divine Mafter, O ye fervants of Chrift! There was a time, when He fubmitted to be imprifoned by me; but by that condefcenfion he destroyed Satan my powerful mafler. I was proud of having fuch a prifoner in my power; but when he chofe to depart, he did not vouchsafe to ask my leave, and no force of mine could detain him. And he fo entirely tore away the adamantine bars of my prifon, and left fuch impreffions of his divine power on me, that it is impossible for me to detain any in my power, when he demands their reJeafe. Tell therefore your numerous congregations, to meet me as becometh Chriftians. Exhort them, to banish from their minds the vulgar notions of my hideous looks and evil defigns: And let them be affured that I fhall vifit them as a friend, to introduce them to the presence of your Mafter." When the King of Terrors had finished his addrefs, he affumed a moft terrible afpect; and frowning with tremendous horror, drove fiercely forward, while all arcund was in the moft fearful agitation. The affrighted paffengers fled from the streets; the fhops were darkened; the houses and churches trembled to their foundations; the found of the artificer, and the din of bufinefs, were filenced; the general pulfe of trade ftood ftill; and an awful paralytic affected the whole body politic. Thus this terrible enemy of mankind bore in triumph the efcutcheons of his mortal pomp, through the great metropolis and emporium of the nations; and thus every thing remained, while the fight of Death, and the found of his cavalcade affected the fenfes of the multitude; and when they ceafed, the whole ftream of bufinefs, gaiety, and folly, returned to its ufual course; and I ayoke from my dream. PROBUS A SIGHT OF CHRIST. HE gratification of the fenfes affords peculiar pleasure TH to man in his prefent itate. Agreeable and harmonious founds delight the ear; and the eye which is never satisfied with feeing, roves among new and fplendid objects with ever-growing felicity. Our curiofity is raifed to behold one of our fellow-creatures, in proportion to his fame, either for great wifdom, military prowefs, or the benefits we have received from his achievements. Such was the impreffion made on the mind of the queen of Sheba, who came with difficulty and hazard, to behold the glory of Solomon: And fuch feelings animated the Grecians who poured in from every quarter to gratify their eyes with a fight of the man, who had delivered them from tyranny and oppreffion, crying Soter! Soter! Saviour! Saviour! On this principle we are not furprised to find those who waited for confolation in Ifrael, coming with fuch eager defire to fee the new-born Saviour. The prophecies and types were fulfilled in his facred perfon. Now was the time for his approach. Expectation at this period raised the hopes of the faithful, and perfons of various charac ters came to behold this fight. The Eastern Magi had feen his ftar, which directed their way to that illustrious Saviour whofe incarnation it announced. The fhepherds, whofe attention had been awakened by the fong of angels, repaired to Bethlehem, where they faw the fhepherd of Ifrael. The women, who departed not from the temple day nor night, faw him at laft who was fuddenly to come to it, and to whom it belonged. Simeon alfo, who, like Jacob, had long waited for God's falvation, was bleffed with this fight: Admonished by the Lord, he came into the Temple at the very time his parents prefented him there before God, and receiving him in his arms with emotions of heavenly felicity, bleffed God for a fight of his falvation. Nor did this defire cease through his future life. Several Grecians coming to worship at Jerufalem, expreffed a very ardent with to fee him, and were introduced for that purpofe by Philip. The inclination of Zaccheus feems equally ftrong. But how were the Apoftles favoured, who had accefs to him on all occafions! Their eyes faw, and their hands handled the word of life. On the mount they faw his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father. |