powers of the human mind, without which, no celestial scene could produce permanent enjoyment. Although all the theologians who now exist were united in opinion about every article of the system of Divinity; and although they were transported to the most splendid world that revolves around the star Arcturus; after the first transports, arising from the novelty and the grandeur of the scene, had subsided, they would enjoy little more happiness in that orb, than they do in this terrestrial sphere, unless they were actuated with moral dispositions and affections very different from those which many of them now display. For, not only rancour and malice, but even coldness and indifference to the welfare of others, would prevent happiness from being enjoyed in any region of the material universe. All who believe in the reality of a future world, indulge in anxious wishes to be made happy when they pass from this mortal scene to the world of spirits. Even wicked men, whose consciences frequently forebode evil to them in the other world, indulge the hope that God will ultimately be merciful to them, and admit them to the joys of heaven. But this is impossible, in the very nature of things, unless they be "renewed in the spirit of their minds," and endowed with those holy dispositions which alone can qualify them for relishing substantial happiness, and for participating in "the inheritance of the saints in light." How could malignity associate with Benevolence, Contention with Friendship, or War with Peace? How could the sons of discord dwell in unity, in an assembly where all is harmony and love? How could the malicious and revengeful spirit find delight in the employments of kindness and pure benignity? How could the man who now finds his chief pleasure in hounding and horse-racing, in brawling and fighting, have any relish for the sublime adorations, the enraptured praises, and the lofty and refined contemplations, of the celestial inhabitants? The thing is impossible, unless the moral order of all worlds were completely subverted. Such characters will be banished from the abodes of bliss; not by any arbitrary decree of the Almighty, but in virtue of the moral constitution of the intelligent uni verse. It is, therefore, evident, that the happiness of heaven must be founded upon the exercise of love, affection, har mony, perfect good-will to fellow-intelligences, and the infinite variety of ramifications into which such principles may diverge; combined with profound, enlightened,. and venerable views and affections, in relation to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. When these and similar dispositions are uniformly exercised, without the least mixture of any one ingredient of moral evil, it is easy to conceive, with what transports of delight the inhabitants of heaven will contemplate the displays of Divine Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, and investigate the history of his dispensations in the moral government of our world, and in the arrangements of all the other worlds whose physical and moral economy may be laid open to their view.* Such views are in perfect accordance with the representations of Scripture." Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." The pure in heart (and they alone) shall see God." "Nothing that worketh abomination, can enter within the gates of the heavenly city." "As we have borne the image of the earthly, (says the Apostle,) so shall we bear the image of the heavenly." "Christ Jesus gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, and that he might present it to himself a glorious church, holy, and without blemish. "The crown of glory, reserved in heaven for the faithful, is designated "a crown of righteousness." "The spirits of just men," in the future world," are made perfect," freed from every taint of moral pollution, and unrestrained in the exercise of their moral powers. The inheritance to which they are destined, is "undefiled" with the least stain of corruption, or with the example of impure and malignant spirits. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we shall be like him ;" transformed into his moral image, and animated with those Divine principles and virtues, which he displayed in his conduct, when he tabernacled among men. The saints "shall walk with him in white," an emblem of their perfect moral purity; "they shall receive an in The Author will have an opportunity of illustrating this topic in more minute detail, in a work entitled, "The Philosophy of a Future State; or, an Illustration of the Connexion of Science with the Eternal World,-and of the Aids which its Discoveries afford, for enabling us to form a conception of the perpetual improvement of the celestial inhabitants in knowledge and felicity." heritance among them that are sanctified;" and "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; for the former things shall have passed away." V. From the preceding illustrations we may learn something of the nature and essence of future punishment. If the exercise of love, in all its diversified modifications, constitutes the foundation and the essence of happiness, the unrestrained operations of malevolence must be the source and the sum of misery. We cannot form a more dreadful picture of future punishment, than by conceiving the principles of falsehood, deceit, and malignity, and the passions of pride, hatred, malice, and revenge, raging with uncontrolled and perpetual violence. We need represent to ourselves nothing more horrible in the place of punishment, than by supposing the Almighty simply to permit wicked men to give full scope to their malevolent dispositions; leaving them "to eat of the fruit of their own ways, and to be filled with their own devices." The effects produced by the uncontrolled operation of such principles and passions would be such, as may be fitly represented by the emblems of "the worm that never dies," of "devouring fire," and of their necessary concomitants, "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth." (See Chap. II. Sect. iv. pp. 127-136.) What other ingredients of misery, arising, either from local circumstances, from the recollection of the past, or the anticipation of the future, may be mingled with the cup of future wo, it becomes not us particularly to determine. And, whether this scene of misery will ever come to a termination, must be determined by the consideration, whether the effects produced by such a punishment will have a tendency to produce repentance and reformation on the minds of the sufferers. If, after a lapse of ages, the principles of hatred to God, and to surrounding intelligences, continue to operate with increasing violence, without producing the least desire of returning to their allegiance to God, or the least symptom of reformation,-then, we may conclude, that the misery of wicked intelligences will continue so long as they remain in existence. 39 BOOKS LATELY PUBLISHED BY E. & G. MERRIAM, The CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER or, the Connection of Science and Philosophy with Religion, Illustrated with Engravings. By THOMAS DICK, Author of a variety of Literary and Scientific Communications in Nicholson's Philosophical Journal, The Annals of Philosophy, etc. etc. THE PHILOSOPHY OF A FUTURE STATE. BY THOMAS DICK, Author of "The Christian Philosopher." "The Philosophy of Religion," etc. etc. A PRACTICAL VIEW of the prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians, in the higher and middle classes in this country, contrasted with Real Christianity. By WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, ESQ. With an Introductory Essay, by the REV. DANIEL WILSON, A. M. Vicar of Islington. VILLAGE DISCOURSES, preached at Aston Sandford. By the late REV. THOMAS SCOTT, Author of a "Commentary on the Scriptures." Taken in short hand at the time of their delivery. "Gather up the fragments that remain." THE CHRISTIAN HEARER: Designed to show the Importance of Hearing the Word, and to |