August 22

"For the former things are passed away." — Revelation 21:4.

JOHN was highly favored of God while in the isle of Patmos; the door of heaven was set ajar, that he might obtain a glimpse of its glories, and catch a sound of its music.

Here is a very short, but expressive description of heaven. Let us illustrate and improve the subject.

LET US ILLUSTRATE IT. What things are passed away in heaven? The diversified trials of life. To these, John here alludes. There shall be no more bodily pain, relative anxiety, or mental agony. The present imperfect state of the Church. Though here, in the Church of Christ, there is much to rejoice in, there are many imperfections to deplore. But in heaven all shall be harmony, peace, and perfection. The desolating influence of sin. Its ravages are seen in a thousand forms; in kingdoms, states, cities, towns, villages, families, and individuals. But in heaven, while there is no sorrow to disturb, there is no sin to defile. The trophies of death. Death goes full armed on the wide field of nature, and none can escape his scythe. But there shall be no more death. Every earthly scene. The world itself shall pass away, and nature sink in ruins. There shall be a new heaven and a new earth.

LET US IMPROVE IT. If these things are so, then what should be our course of pursuit? Be resigned under present trials. They are but momentary in their duration, and light in their nature, compared with the eternal weight of glory you anticipate. Be moderate in your attachment to present things. Prefer Jerusalem above your chief joy; let religion be the bright sun, eclipsing with its splendor all the lesser lights that burn around you. Wait patiently for the solution of mysteries. When the clock of time has struck its last hour, eternity shall present you with a key to unlock all the hidden treasures of Providence, grace, and glory. Be prepared for that glorious state. When you hear of its joys, inquire how you may inherit them. It is by a personal interest in Christ. How should we rejoice that life and immortality are brought to light by the Gospel, and that the earnest and foretaste of them are brought into the heart by the Spirit!