What a glorious exchange?—of sickness and pain, for everlasting rest and peace!—of a ruinous tabernacle; for a house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens!—of a howling wilderness; for the heavenly Canaan, the palace of angels, the city of God!—of the groanings of corruption and sin; for the songs of the redeemed round the throne!—of the chamber of sickness; for the regions of unfading health, “where the inhabitant shall never say, _I am sick_!”—of the cross; for a crown of glory, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away!—and of earth, with all its distractions, vanities, vicissitudes, and woes; for the beatitudes of heaven, and the rapturous enjoyment of the vision of God! “—Happy day! that breaks our chain! That manumits; that calls, from exile, home: That leads to nature’s great metropolis: And readmits us, thro’ the guardian hand Of elder brothers, to our _Father’s_ throne!” But it is time I should now proceed to consider the last thing proposed, which was, III. To suggest some serious reflections, more particularly adapted to the consideration of young persons; and not unworthy, I hope, the solemn attention of the aged. 1. You have heard the character, and the blessedness of _the righteous_, described: Do you wish to be followers of such? Follow them to the _grave_ you certainly must; and it is impossible to tell, how soon that may be the case. While your passions are moved under a subject, that is in itself deeply affecting, perhaps you are adopting the wish of _Balaam_, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let _my_ last end be like his!” But do you wish, not only to follow the righteous to the _glory_ that awaits him, but also to tread that _path_ which leads to it? If not, your wishes are insincere, and delusory. The _life_ and _death_ of the righteous will always be of a piece: if _that_ be not holy, _this_ will not be blessed.