in language applicable to the last judgment, intimating that they would be, to the parties concerned, days of judgment in miniature; so the different advances of the church towards perfection are described in language applicable to a state of perfection itself. Thus the conversion of sinners is represented as an espousal of them to one husband, that they might be presented as a chaste virgin to Christ. The conversion of the Gentiles to Christ is also thus described: Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people and thy father's house. So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him.—The king's daughter is all glorious within ; her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle-work the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought they shall enter into the king's palace. Under the same imagery seem to be represented the great conversions to Christ in the latter day. Immediately after the fall of Babylon, the voice of a great multitude is heard in heaven, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the MARRIAGE of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted, that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the And he saith unto me,

:

fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the MARRIAGE-SUPPER

of the Lamb. These are the true sayings of God.

On each of these occasions, there is a partial presentation of the church to Christ; and all are preparatory to that universal and perfect one, which shall take place at the end of time.

But there seems to be something singular in the idea of Christ's presenting the church to himself. The office of presenting the bride, we should suppose, properly belongs to per parent. But how if she had no parent, and, like the orphan before described, was cast out, without an eye to pity, or a hand to help her? In this case, the bridegroom must himself be her father, and perform the office of a father throughout, even to the presenting of her to himself. If such be the allusion, it represents, in an affecting light, our forlorn condition as under the fall; and teaches us, that,

in every stage of our salvation, we must remember it, in order to heighten our love to Christ.

The perfection of bliss that will succeed to this presentation, is beyond all our present conceptions. Suffice it to say, that Christ will be the sum and substance of it. We have already noticed the glory of the church, as being freed from her spots and blemishes ; but this, though a great blessing, is chiefly negative. Besides this, there is a positive source of enjoyment in an uninterrupted and endless communion with her Lord and Saviour. To be able to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of Christ, and so to be filled with all the fulness of God, is the mark on which saints on earth are directed to keep their eye; but to attain it, is reserved for saints in heaven. Nor shall they so comprehend it, as to leave no room for continued researches: for how shall they perfectly know that which passeth knowledge.

Finally It is observable, that, under the figure of being admitted to a marriage-feast, or excluded from it, we see what will shortly be the test of us all: At midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.—And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. If there be any thing of importance in this world, it is, to be ready when the Lord cometh; aot by such preparations as those to which sinners are apt to flee when their fears are alarmed, but by believing in the Son of God, and keeping his commandments. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Look off from every other dependence, and put your trust in him. He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.— Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord. Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching!

THE GOSPEL THE ONLY EFFECTUAL MEAN OF PRODUCING UNIVERSAL PEACE AMONG MANKIND.

SERMON XV.

MAL. iv. 5, 6.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

MALACHI, the last of the Old-Testament prophets, lived in an age of great degeneracy; and much of his prophecy is taken up in bearing testimony against it. The last two chapters, however, inform us of a remnant who feared the Lord, and thought upon his name. Partly for their encouragement, and partly for the awakening of the careless, he introduces the coming of the Messiah, and intimates, that the very next prophet who should be sent would be his harbinger.

That we may understand the passage first read, I shall offer a few observations upon it.

1. John the Baptist is here called Elijah the prophet, because he would be, as it were, another Elijah; resembling him not only in his austerity and general appearance, but in the spirit and power with which he preached: And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to

the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

2. The coming of Christ is called that great and terrible day of the Lord. This may seem to disagree with the general current of prophecy. It is common for the prophets to represent this great event as a source of unusual joy, and to call not men only, but the very inanimate creation, to join in it. The truth is, the same event which afforded joy to those who received him, brought desolation and destruction to those who received him not. It is in this light that the prophet represents it in chap. iii. 2. Who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? And the fact was, that for its rejection of him such tribulations came upon the Jewish nation, as were not since the beginning of the world to that time, and would never be again. This was the day referred to in verse 1, which should burn as an oven; when all the proud, and all that should do wickedly would be stubble; the day should burn them up, and leave them neither root nor branch.

3. It is intimated, that, previously to the ministry of John, there would be great dissensions and bitter animosities among the Jewish people; parents at variance with their children, and children with their parents: altogether producing such a state of society, that, if there had been no change for the better, the land might have been smitten with a curse, sooner than it was. Subjugated by the Romans, one part of the nation, for the sake of private interest, sided with them, and accepted places under them; by which they became odious in the eyes of the other. Some became soldiers under the Roman standard, and treated their brethren with violence; others became publicans, or farmers of the public taxes, entering deeply into a system of oppression. A spirit of selfishness pervaded all ranks and orders of men, prompting those on one side to deeds of oppression, and those on the other to discontent and bitter antipathies. Besides this, they were divided into a number of religious sects, which bore the most inveterate hatred to each other, and were all far off from truth and godliness. 4. It is predicted, that John's ministry should have a conciliating influence, turning men's hearts one to another, and so tending