-4 150 THE WORLD TO COME. tual meaning, as well as in their literal sense. There is no night of ignorance or error in the mind, no night of guilt or of sorrow in the soul : But the blessed above shall dwell surrounded with the, light of divine knowledge, they shall walk in the light of holiness, and they shall be for ever filled with the light of cono lation and joy, as I have explained it at the beginning of this discourse. The first Remark then is this : as 'When heaven, earth and hell are compared together with relation to light and darkness, or night and day," we then see them in ,their proper distinctions and aspects. Every thing is set in its most distinguishing situa- tion and appearance, when it is compared with things which are most opposite. The earth, on which we dwell, during this state of trial, has neither all day nor all night belonging to it, but sometimes light appears, and again darkness, whether in a na- turai or a spiritual sense. Though there be long seasons of darkness in the winter, and darkness in the summer also, in its constant returns, divides one day from another, yet the God of nature hash given us a larger portion of light than there is of darkness throughout the whole globe of the earth : And this benefit we receive by the re- maining beams of the sun after its setting, and by the assistance of the moon and the stars of heaven. Blessed be God for the moon and stars, as well as for the sun -beams and the brightness of noon. Blessed be God for all the lights of nature, but we still bless him more for the light'of the gospel, and for any rays from heaven, any beams of the Sun of righteousness, which dif- fuse, in lower measures, knowledge and holiness and comfort, among the inhabitants of this our world. God is here manifest- ing his love and grace in such proportions as he thinks proper. Some beams of the .heavenly world break out upon us here in this dark region. God the spring of all our light, and the Lamb of God by his spirit communicates sufficient light to us, to guide us on in our way to that heavenly country. Iu hell there is all night and darkness, thick darkness in every sense, for the God of glory is absent there, as to any ma- nifestations of his face and favour. And therefore, it is often called outer darkness, where there sit weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. There is no holiness, there is no comfort, there are no benefits of the creation, no blessings of grace; all are forfeited and gone for ever. It is everlasting night and blackness of darkness in that world : horror of soul without a beam of refreshment from the face of God, or the Lamb for 'ever. The devils are now reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day , Jude verve 6. But tuen their confinement shall be closer, and their darkness, guilt
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