Our merciful Lord, on withdrawing His visible presence from this world, sent, according to His promise, another Comforter; a Comforter, who should “guide His people into all truth;” should “give them a right judgment in all things,” and spread a holy influence over their affections and desires. And now, when we are reading His word, when musing upon it with devout meditation, and conversing with one another upon its exalted truths, its heavenly purposes, its abundant promises and blessings; and now, when we hear the word from the lips of those ministers, who, however unworthy in themselves, are commissioned to speak in His great name, our hearts may burn within us, and “our eyes may be opened to behold wondrous things out of His law;” {107} we may still be powerfully impressed, if we have, what we are taught by our church to pray for, “grace to hear meekly the word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit.” May I not appeal, in justification of these remarks, to some of you here present? Have not your minds, when intent upon the doctrines of the gospel, and taking a view of heavenly things, been sometimes visited with a holy illumination, which has seemed to raise you above the world, and to make you feel more sensibly, that “you have your conversation in heaven?” {108} Have not the ties of earth been loosened, while your soul was expatiating on the deep things of God, on His wisdom and power and love, on the dealings of His providence and grace, on the glories of His eternal presence? Have you not, in some such moments, been so impressed, as to return to the world with a degree of reluctance; and, like the disciples at the transfiguration, almost tempted to say, of your spiritual and heavenly visions, “it is good for me to be here?” These are no enthusiastic imaginations; they are the sober and solid effects of the realized presence of our Redeemer; they are the burnings of heart, of which the disciples spake; they are the foretaste of our knowledge and joy and light and life above. Doubtless they are to be encouraged with humility and sobriety; doubtless they may degenerate into enthusiasm; for there is no spiritual good, which may not be abused: but the fear of enthusiasm is not to hinder us in gathering comfort and delight from the study of scriptural truth, from holy and exalted meditation. The world may call it weakness and folly; for it cannot be understood by the world; but the Christian knows for it a better name; and few eminent Christians have there been, who would not readily bear witness to the truth of these things, who have not felt the inspiriting, uplifting power of divine contemplation.