LECTURE II.

Reference to the preceding lecture.-The soul can neither be destroyed nor physically injured by any foreign power.-The ravages which extraneous force is making on all material things.-But the soul defies destruction.It will retain its consciousness and powers for ever in great happiness or misery.-A view of the bliss which the pious will possess

In the preceding lecture I proposed to point out a few of the leading particulars in the immortality of the soul. I then remarked, that this great truth includes the following particulars:-That the soul is free from decay or tendency to dissolution;-that it can never be destroyed nor physically injured by any foreign agency;—and that, consequently, it will retain its consciousness and powers for ever. Having passed through the first of these particulars-that the soul is free from decay or tendency to dissolution; I proceed to notice,

2. That the soul can neither be destroyed nor physi-cally injured by any foreign power. This truth is inseparably associated with the idea of an immortal being; and is also founded in the nature of the soul, which, as will afterwards be shown, is, from its immateriality, placed beyond the reach of destruction. But how different is this from the world and its contents in which we are placed, and the humanity which we wear! Here not only are all things tending to decay, and crumbling to ruin of

their own accord, but foreign power is continually making dreadful ravages, and increases the mass of decayed existence. Many parts and forms of the earth, and many of the works of men, which are calculated to bear long the assaults of duration, are, nevertheless, often suddenly dis placed and destroyed by a visitation from some extraneons force. This remark applies, with all its weight, to the human frame. Though our bodies possess in themselves the principles of decay, and though, were all external force inactive, they would, within a given space of time, decay and come to their end, yet, it is a self evident fact, that the greater part of the human family are not worn out by old age. It has been remarked, that few persons, in the proper sense of the word, die a natural death. In this sense, millions do not live out half their days. Yea, vast numbers expire in infancy, they die almost as soon as they begin to live. By one stroke the body may come to its end. Dangers surround our path, and stand thick along the way of life. A single accident may crush it into a mass of deformity; sometimes from occurences almost incredibly trivial, it sinks to ruins.

But with the soul it is quite otherwise. She defies dissolution either from the occurrence of accident, the strokes of violence, or the progress of duration. Let her earthly house be crushed to carnage, turned to putrefac tion, dried to dust, or ground to powder, and scattered to the four winds of the heavens; yet the soul is safe. Let mountains be hurled upon her; let the earth be moved out of its place, and the islands be carried into the depths of the sea; let the funeral pile of our world be kindled, the atmospheric air catch the flame, and even the starry heavens be tempested by the burning element, and let the soul be closely connected with the surrounding ruin; and yet, in safety, she survives the whole. Let the displeasure of Om nipotence be engaged against her; let the power, which

supports creation, multiply her sorrows; the breath, which kindles the lightning, visit her in wrath; and the hand, that hurls the thunders, shake her with terrors; still she retains her being and consciousness. Let Tophet, which was ordained of old, which is made deep and large, the pile of which is fire and much wood, be kindled by the breath of the Almighty's fury; let the flame, like a stream of brimstone, burn to the bottom of the lowest hell; let the soul be plunged in the same; and yet, though in flames, she ever burn," and these flames kindled by the breath of Him, who, if he touch the mountains, they smoke, and, if he look on the earth, it trembles, still she will defy destruction's grasp, and "will never burn away." Hence, the pious soul, decayless in herself, blessed with the smile of her Creator, and upborne by the right hand of his power, will, with smiles and shouts of victory, rise far above this world's burning ruins, and be placid and calm amidst the extensive ravages of destruction. While the impious soul will survive the whole free from physical injury, as a damned spirit will retain her conscious existence, amidst the ravages of the wasteful pit, and will live in the torrent and tempest of endless burnings! I now proceed to notice, 3. That consequently the soul will retain its being, consciousness, and powers for ever. And let it here be carefully observed, that she will not only sustain her being through the lapse of endless ages free from "diseases or decline;" but will likewise possess the deepest consciousness of her. honour and dignity, or disgrace and misery, and the vigorous exercise of all her faculties either in happiness which created minds cannot conceive,—or in misery which human language cannot express. Aided by the truths and important discoveries of that Revelation by which this unrivalled subject has been brought to light, let us pursue the subject of immortality in each of these important particulars.

The pious soul shall eternally exist in happiness which created minds cannot conceive. But though finite intellect cannot grasp the good to which, as the heirs of glory, we are destined; though eye hath not seen nor ear heard whats: God hath laid up for us; though it doth not yet appears what we shall be; nevertheless, humbly guarded byg the discoveries of Gospel light, we form some faint and cheering ideas of the felicities of that inheritance which is a "Incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away."

We know that ere long we shall drop this clay tene ment, and leave it in the obscure shades of death, where it will moulder with the dust, and regale the worms. We shall arise far above the dreary scenes of mortality, and be placed in the blaze of immortal noon. We shall be placed where the secret actions of men are dissected, and the conduct examined, which was wrought on this stage of darkness. But in all this we shall be free from anxiety. For we shall have reached the celestial heights, be possess ed of the blessings of Paradise, and shall begin to reap the fruits of our dear Redemer's merits; and this will amply repay us for all our sufferings. Our elevated situation will swell the rapture of our souls. Time and its nunierous concerns will lay far beneath our feet. Eternity will s stretch before us, and fill us with delight. We shall then have done with the gaudy toys of earth that decoy the heedless throng, and allure the sons of folly. More noble themes will press on our thoughts, and demand our care. We shall be surrounded with the felicities of glory, possessed of exhaustless goodness, and enraptured with ful ness of heavenly joys. We shall enter upon bliss unseen, unheard off, unfathomed, and unconceived. We shall before surprised and confounded with the lavish of Divine gene e rosity.

The stores of this bounty we have not seen, neither have t we ability to describe it. The eye that has traced many o

of the secrets of nature, would be dazzelled and overpowered with the pure blaze of our august residence. Newton would be bewildered when he entered the immortal vision. The tomb of Mausolus, the temple of Diana, the pyramids of Egypt, and the gaudy pomp of earthly grandeur, are but gilded shadows when compared with the glories of heaven. The ear that has been delighted and ravished with melody's softest sounds, and music's sweetest charms, is nevertheless ignorant of the voice of angels, and the songs of the celestial choir. The heart that has conceived the most astonishing scenes, and wrapped up imaginary worlds within the compass of a thought, is unable to conceive the reserved good, must wait till joined with those who possess these sublime pleasures, and event will be lost in wonder at the fulness of the enjoyment, and the glory of the prospect. The happiest efforts of human reason could never acquire the heavenly lesson which we then shall learn. With more ease might we compose the heavens with a span, or grasp the mountains with extended arms, than describe the lustre of that unclouded light in which we shall then be placed.

We shall then hold distinguished rank in the glorious palace of the King of kings; the place where the royal monarch more immediately resides; the city founded as the abode of angels, and fitted for the reception of men... This is an asylum prepared as a shelter from every woe, and a safe retreat from disorder and death. Its gates are pearl, and its walls shining jasper. If this be the splendour of its outworks, what then must be the glory of its inner courts? Sapphires and diamonds are as nothing to the splendour of our future residence. Compared with this, the sun may appear dim, and the stars but dust and darkness. There night is no more; but eternal day shines with decreaseless perfection. Then our wishes will meet their full enjoyment, our hope realize the fruition of