We are hurrying on to the life to come: every day, every hour, every moment advances us nearer and nearer to the decisive moment, when we must leave this world "to go into the house of eternity," (Eccles. xii. 5), where happiness unspeakable, or misery beyond description, awaits us. Having, therefore, considered this misery in our last discourse, as far as our limited minds could form any conception of it, we will seek consolation this evening in dwelling, as well as we can, on the happiness which God in His goodness and mercy has prepared for us in the kingdom of His glory. If, therefore, we have gone down with the Prophet "in the midst of our days to the gates of hell" (Isai. xxxviii. 10), in order to escape the dreadful lot of being cast into that region of fire, after our time in this world, let us ascend this evening, in our imagination, to heaven, that, contemplating the happiness of that blissful kingdom, we may, with the aid of God's grace, render ourselves

worthy of being admitted to it, on closing our career in this valley of tears.

[Invoke a blessing, &c.]

BODY OF THE SUBJECT.

1. Impossible view of heaven. O heaven! how shall I speak of it? Can I hope to give you a full view of it? How can I, or could I, hope it, when St. Paul found the task impossible. "Neither eye hath seen," &c. (I Cor. ii. 9.) St. Augustine, meditating on heaven, thought with himself if he could give an adequate description of it in a treatise he might write on the subject, heard a voice from some invisible speaker, saying to him: "Augustine, what art thou thinking of? Dost thou think it possible to drain off the waters of the ocean, or to grasp in thy hand the immense globe of the earth, or to cause the heavenly bodies to suspend the course of their motion? Dost thou desire to see what no eyes have seen, to hear what no ears have heard? Dost thou think, that thou canst understand what no human intelligence hath ever conceived, nor human understanding hath imagined? All these impossibilities must become possible, before thou become capable of giving an idea of the least part of the glory the blessed enjoy in heaven." (Nierem. b. 5.) We may, therefore, multiply words and phrases, we may bring to our aid all the resources of rhetoric, we may exhaust all the powers of language, &c. ; in the end we find ourselves where we were in the beginning in presence of an impossible task of describing, &c. Appeal, to lift up their hearts on high, and "press for

ward," with the Apostle, " towards the prize that awaits us, the prize of our supernal vocation in Christ Jesus." (Phil. iii. 14.)

2. Negative view. But, while it is impossible to describe, or even conceive, the happiness of heaven, we can have some glimpses of it, obscure glimpses, to be sure, as "seeing through a glass," with the Apostle, "in a dark manner, but hoping to see one day face to face, and know even as we are known." (1 Cor. xiii. 12.) The first view, which these glimpses afford us of heaven is to see what heaven is not, but not what heaven is. If, in endeavouring to display this view, I say heaven is exempt from, &c.

[Here enumerate several catalogues of miseries in this life, spiritual, corporal, internal, and external, beginning each by saying: "If in attempting to describe heaven, I say it is exempt from so and so," naming them, after which repeat, "If, I say, in attempting to describe heaven, I should say it is exempt from all these evils, I tell you what heaven is not, but not what heaven is.]

Apply this consideration by inculcating a disgust for this life, abounding with so many evils, saying: "Oh! that we had the spirit of St. Paul, to consider all things here below as loss, as dung! (Phil. iii. 8), in view of that kingdom, where God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes," &c. (Apoc. xxi. 4.)

3. The comparative view. St. Paul tells us, that the invisible things of God, and of his heavenly kingdom, are in some degree made known by the visible things of this world. (Rom. i. 20.) Ask, therefore, is there anything here on earth calculated to give us an idea of heaven?

[Here go through a summary of all that is admired in this world, or describe a gorgeous palace, surrounded with splendid scenery, ornamented all around with beautiful pleasuregrounds, &c., in a beautiful climate; and conclude that all this splendour is as darkness compared with brilliant sunshine, as we contemplate the magnificence of heaven.]

Relate the passages of the Queen of Saba, (3 Kings, applying it with an "a fortiori."

4. Approximate view. Ask, but does not God himself give us some idea of heaven in the Holy Scriptures? Yes, but the idea is still imperfect: imperfect, because our minds, limited as they are, can admit no other. If, therefore, "glorious things are said of thee, O city of God! (Ps. lxxxvi. 3); if thou are called city of eternal life, of eternal glory, of eternal happiness; if thy gates be described as of pearl, thy walls of jaspar, thy streets of pure gold, needing neither sun nor moon, the "Lamb being the lamp thereof," &c. (Apoc. xxi.); if thy inhabitants are represented as clothed with glory and honour, with palms in their hands, and diadems on their heads, feasting on the plenty of God's own House, and drinking of the torrent of His delight, flowing from beneath the throne of the Most High, &c.; O city of God, these glorious things are said of thee by God Himself, and we may, indeed, fall into ecstacy, and swoon away, in view of such riches and glory, &c.; in the end, however, we must say with St. Paul, "Neither eye hath seen," &c. (1 Cor. ii. 9.) Nevertheless the Apostle exhorts us to ascend in spirit to our heavenly country, and comfort ourselves with a prospect of its happiness, whilst yet journeying on through this valley of tears; and as if we had already reached it, he exclaims, "wherefore lift up the hands

that hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight

steps with your feet for you are come to Mount Sion and to the city of the living God, the Heavenly Ferusalem, and to the company of many thousands of saints." (Heb. xii.) And St. John would present to us the vision of this glorious company, saying: "I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues: standing before the throne and in the sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands: and they cried with a loud voice, saying: 'Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and the ancients, and the four living creatures: and they fell before the throne upon their faces, and adored God, saying: Amen. Benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honour, and power, and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen.' (Apoc. vii.)

"Glorious things are said of thee, O city of God!" To realize, as best we can, these glorious things, let us suppose the great wonders to have taken place which St. John mentions, when he says: "I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven, and the first earth was gone, and the sea is now no more. And I John saw the holy city the new Ferusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from the throne, saying: Behold the tabernacle of God with men, and He will dwell with them. And they shall be His people: and God Himself with them shall be their God. And God shall wine away all tears from their