ter, in his Introduction to Howe's Blessedness of the Righteous: "It is a happy sign that God is about to repair our ruins and divisions, when he stirreth up his servants to speak so much of Heaven, and to call up the minds of impatient complainers, and contentious censurers, and ignorant self-conceited dividers, and of worldly, unskilful, and unmerciful pastors, to look to that state where all the godly shall be one." Besides all this, earth can only have true life under the influence of Heaven. As nature, when the heavens are for a length of time hidden by clouds, so that the sun does not dawn upon the earth, is chilled, and loses its vigor and loveliness, so it is in grace—it is the influence of the supernatural and heavenly which gives true life, love, and beauty to our piety. Separate, however, from all these considerations, it is not to be conceived that an heir of that better world should not take a deep interest in all that pertains to it. There is everything to incite us to it. This life is unsatisfying and transient; that world is so often held up to our hopes in the Scriptures, almost all the Saviour's parables and teachings referring to it—it lies in so sweet a contrast with this in every point—all our best friends are already there-it is to be our own Heavenly Home eternally—and it lies already so near us! How can it be otherwise than that our minds and hearts should be deeply interested in an inquiry which so widely and so solemnly affects us? With regard to the manner in which the subject is treated in this Volume, we would merely say in general that we have sought to avoid two extremes. On the one hand, we have endeavored to avoid that vague, indefinite hortatory, figurative cantation, which is common in a certain class of practical treatises, and which, however pleasant it may be to a certain class of Christians, is not, we believe, either profitable or satisfactory to earnest minds and hearts. On the other hand, we have with equal diligence sought to avoid those wild and bold speculations, which, however much they may delight the itching ears of the curious, have in them too much of the wisdom of this world to serve the purposes of true piety, and have, to reverent minds, at least the appearance of being profane. We have aimed at combining into one, the authority of revelation, the definiteness of science, and the tenderness of devotion. With humble gratitude to God for the favor which former volumes on the same general subject have received, the Author commends this also to God, and to all earnest minds and hearts. Go forth peaceably, ye fruits of many anxious, but pleasant hours! And Thou, Blessed Mediator, in whose name all things must be done, if Thou wilt bless these meditations to the refreshment and consolation of the saints, then those saints will praise Thee-as we do now! LANCASTER CITY, May 28, 1853. CONTENTS. SECT. III.-Pagan ideas of Future Happiness were gross and false in their most important features SECT. II. The Materiality of the Glorified body.... 196 SECT. III.-The Incorruptibility of the Glorified body..... 205 THE HEAVENLY HOME. CHAPTER I. Beavenly Tudertones in the Spirit. Then woke Stirrings of deep Divinity within, And, like the flickerings of a smouldering flame, When the world's din, and passion's voice was still, WILLIAMS. THERE reposes deep in the human spirit the idea of the perfect. Amid the sense of our own imperfection, and the sight of imperfection in all that surrounds us, there is the deep intuitive conviction that there exists somewhere the infinitely Pure, the infinitely Beautiful, and the infinitely Good. Often, when the spirit lingers lonely and meditative among the wrecks of earthly hope, and feels as if it could no more cling to things which perish, it is drawn, by a sweet attraction, made up of faith, hope, and love, into a far-off silent world of peace, purity, and perfection. Beneath our sense of guilt, beneath those monitions which chide us as wanderers, beneath the confusion and collision of |