new impetus being given, it can glorify God here, and live with him hereafter.

The soul, the tenant, proves its capability of change of state by change of disposition, as thus: God made man upright, but in Adam all die as to moral goodness, yet in Christ all the redeemed live as to moral excellence, and through the grace thus given after the death of the body reign with him for ever and ever. God made man in fact a living soul. Sin makes man, in a figure, an insensible soul. Grace renews that soul, so that we are not dead but sleep, and sleep sweetly, dreaming of the glories of that resurrection morn when the dead, small and great, shall stand before God. The soul, or spiritual and therefore eternal part of man, is the tenant.

This tenant occupies two distinct and dissimilar residences: first, a tabernacle and a tabernacle made of earth; secondly, a building or house immaterial and eternal.

First, a tabernacle and a tabernacle made of earth; the body, of which the soul is the tenant. A tabernacle well sets forth this tenement, and earth literally describes its origin (Adam, i.e. red earth): for dust we are, and to dust we shall return. As a tabernacle our bodies are feeble, fading, temporary, tottering, portable, and insecure, like the tabernacle set up by Moses in the wilderness. We were designed for the in-being and worship of God: but like that tabernacle we are prostituted to mere secular purposes; the glory is departed, the gold has become dim, and the fine gold is changed; yet, like as the tabernacle was once, so there is much of glory and grandeur about man; and as a tabernacle to worship in, these bodies may serve for the whole journey; yea, even after we get into the church on earth, of which Canaan was a striking type. But this tenement will not last for ever: it is of the earth earthy, and must give up that which is of heaven heavenly. Our bodies in their present, or in their first state, present not perpetuity; they are material. Now that which is material must wear out: therefore Adam himself was made to be a probationer, and then to be changed from glory to glory by the Spirit of God. The immortal soul occupies this tabernacle, which by time must wear out; but is now commonly taken down before worn out, and in a state of apparent vigour folded together and deposited in the grave. Five days before his death Mr. H. was in excellent health; the tabernacle seemed to bid fair to stand for many years: but the tenant was wanted, and when gone the temporary residence fell.

Secondly, this tenant is next called upon to inhabit a house,

which thought presents a stationary, secure, permanent, elevated, and diversified habitation—almost every way opposite to that from which the tenant has escaped. Our future home will be our final home wherever our souls are found after death they will go no more out for ever, but will inhabit eternally a fixed, secure, permanent, and elevated, though diversified situation. They will be eternally with God or devils-secure in heaven or hell; see all the way by which they reached their home, and reap a crop of joy or woe, proportionate to the seed sown in the days of the flesh. I do not mean to say that any in heaven will be other than completely happy; or in hell other than completely miserable; yet still hold there are degrees in both, as the vessel by sin or grace has been expanded to receive quantity. Heaven and hell, like earth, are places of order and not of confusion, as far as God is concerned ; and every disembodied soul ranks in its own order: Judas went to "his own place," and Lazarus was "carried by angels into Abraham's bosom." I can never separate in my mind heaven or hell being places as well as states; and whilst I cannot answer the inquiry, Where are they? I can suppose God in Christ is the centre of heaven's house, and saints, according to the measure of their faith, near to that centre or far off from it. Scripture says "One star differeth from another star in grandeur; so also is the resurrection of the dead." 1 Cor. xv. 41, 42. And when John saw the second tenement of the soul, the "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens," "round about the throne were four and twenty seats and upon the seats four and twenty elders sitting clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold." Rev. iv. 4. Why should we object to the doctrine of degrees of glory? Did not our Lord say, " In my Father's house are many mansions?" John, xiv. 9: and are we not convinced that individuality renders a local abode indispensable; that as our Saviour will ever retain his individuality and we ours, they must be the most honoured, and most happy, because most capable of happiness, who more immediately surround his glorified humanity? I fear the reason we object is through selfishness, or Satan, perhaps both, uniting to teach us to carry earthly feelings into this house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Yet I think there are even earthly scenes and earthly circumstances which exhibit man as conscious he could be happy in one place, whilst he has no capacity for happiness in another, and yet that other more honourable, had he capacity for enjoying it. Take, for instance, an amateur chorus

singer, and an amateur Prima Donna--could the former vie with the latter, and be happy? Take children who die in infancy—can they know the pain or the bliss of an adult? I think not, and shall beg the question. But without compromising the opinion I collect from scripture and analogy, whilst I believe they that have the most faith in this world will be most capable and possess the most happiness in the world to come, I would venture a harmless flight of fancy, in which, if we conclude aright, all objections to these facts may perhaps cease. We are to" know as we are known," as well as "be for ever with the Lord." Is not man's knowledge to progress with eternity? What soul, when just delivered from the tabernacle, could bear the full blaze of all the Godhead dwelling bodily in Christ? May not the idea of a circle (we have already supposed it), and our Lord Jesus Christ the centre of that circle, be a fact; infinite space the house not made with hands; eternity bringing forth more of the glories of the Lamb that was slain; and as these glories develop themselves, the circle, the inner circle spreading wide, goes on admitting from the outer circle to its gaps, until all glorified flesh see him together, and they of little faith, and they of strong faith, join in the song of Moses and the Lamb before the throne. It may be so of this we are sure, there is no jealousy in heaven, no domination in heaven, no lording it over God's heritage in heaven; but each does that which here ought to be done amongst the brethren of our Lord-" esteem others better than himself." The second tenement occupied by the soul is a permanent, stationary, secure and elevated, if diversified tenement; called therefore in the text, "a house," and because the comforts of saints are contemplated by the passage, "a house in heaven."

But as Abraham said to Dives, so say we to the unconverted: "Son, remember." This house is only for God's friends, his children, who believe in Christ; walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, taking up the cross and following Jesus. For should you die without a change of heart, there is prepared a house not made with hands, eternal in hell; a prison house, a house of madness and despair: where every forked flame, and every shriek, will have appended to it, “This is for eternity!" O, sinner, what a game of hazard you are playing! You have staked your immortal soul against pleasure; and if you win, what is your gain? A bubble that will burst just as you grasp your longings; leaving a strong poison in your hand, wherewith the finger of conscience will inscribe upon your hearts, "Vanity of vanities! this also is vanity." I

charge you, in the name of God, to give up a vain pursuit after happiness apart from godliness, declaring, in the name of my Master, "Sin shall not go unpunished," and that they who "sow unto the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption "—a curse from God, and a home where all exclaim, "We are tormented in this place." O, thoughtless sinner, bear in mind your end: think on the day of judgment, on standing before God, and hearing the righteous sentence of," Take these my enemies"-yes, you are God's enemies" and cast them into outer darkness, prepared for the devil and his angels." Your soul lives, but in a tabernacle, a feeble, fading, temporary, tottering building. This night that soul may be required of thee; turned out of thy tabernacle, and turned into hell, “with all the people that forget God." What will you do there? There is no pleasure in hell: "The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever." Rev. xiv. 11. No parties for sabbath excursions there; no evening boon companions there; no houses of lewdness and intemperance there; no merry song or lascivious jest; no plays, balls, or cards; no people that mean to repent, for they do repent; no people that mean to become godly, for they cannot become godly; no people that hope to be saved there, for they are shut up in black darkness and despair for ever. Jude, 13. What will you do in hell? You will think, and think, and think, "Woe is me, for I am lost!-lost-for ever lost!" What a mercy you are not lost yet! for

"While the lamp holds out to burn,

The vilest sinner may return."

That excellent man, whose death calls us to these thoughts, was once an inconsiderate sinner, such as you are. He broke the sabbath much as you do, loved what is called pleasure much as you do, went sometimes to the house of God much as you do, thought dissenters too rigid much as you do, yet did not doubt but that he should get to heaven much as you do. But God opened his eyes: when about seventeen years of age he went to hear preach the late Rev. G. Burder, and whilst the sermon made little or no impression, the hymn was ordered of God to his conversion. May you be arrested by the lines which stopped him, and led to his becoming a member, deacon, and warm friend in the Church of Christ. These were the lines:

"Come ye wretched souls to Jesus,

Weak and wounded, sick and sore:

Jesus ready stands to save us,

Full of pity joined with power.

He is able-He is willing: doubt no more."

And we add, Delay no more; so that, if suddenly overtaken by the arrow of death, your end might lead us to say, "He was a faithful man, and feared God above many."

I proceed, seeing our souls are as tenants, occupying two distinct and dissimilar buildings, to note, secondly, WHY THIS TENANT IS

CALLED UPON TO QUIT THE EARTHLY TABERNACLE, AND OCCUPY THE HOUSE NOT MADE WITH HANDS.

First, Because the lease is run out. "The days of our years are threescore and ten :" that is what we call the allotted period: after that we are living on sufferance, or may be said to hold by trespass rather than lease; whilst during the prescribed term we are subjected to a clause which declares " we know not what a day or an hour may bring forth;" and another, "that in the midst of life we are in death." Mr. Hancox did not reach sixty, whilst more than half of those born die before they are twenty-five. God has said how long man may live, but not promised he shall live to those days.

Secondly, Because the strength is run out. The body is incapable of perpetuity; its very living prepares it for dying. It is like the soil of the globe; however good, crop after crop exhausts it: and I scarce know which is the most to be dreaded evil, an exhausted body with an active mind, or a paralyzed mind in an active body. This we believe a reason why the tabernacle gives up the tenant—the tenant wears out the tenement.

Thirdly, The design is run out: “it is finished;" and we give up the ghost. They have been preserved in unity for a specific purpose, and when that purpose is accomplished, the tabernacle must mingle with its kindred earth, whilst the soul must go and tell of the deeds done in the body, whether good or evil. Without a body we cannot act, though we can both suffer and enjoy; therefore God giveth to every man his own body, that by that body he may shew forth nature or grace, and so become meet for a future state. The spiritual cannot be fit for eternal companionship with the material; for the material is gross, and cannot become pure but by filtration through death whilst the soul may become even in time renewed after the image of Christ, and meet for the "inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved for you who are kept by the power of God, through faith, ready to be revealed at the last day.'

The tenant, then, is called to leave the tabernacle, because it is but a tabernacle in which we "see through a glass darkly," and groan, being burdened." The tenant is called to leave the taber

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