daughter of a strange god." They were par- the very beginning of the book of this prophecy: takers of the table of the Lord, at the very "I have loved you, saith the Lord: yet we say, time when they were practising criminal wherein hast thou loved us?” This was offerdivorces, and indulging themselves in senti- ing an insult to Deity, if the expression be ments the most barbarous and inhuman, to- warrantable, in the tenderest pari. He dewards persons whom the laws of marriage clares to us, that he stands in no need of our ought to have rendered dear and respectable worship, and of our homage; that, exalted to the to them. With this they are reproached in height of felicity and glory, he can derive no the 13th verse of the same chapter: "This advantage from our obedience and submission; have ye done again, covering the altar of the that his laws are the fruit of love, and that the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with cry- virtue which he prescribes to us, is the only ing out, insomuch that he regardeth not the path that can conduct us to the sovereign good. offering any more, or receiveth it with good The priests belied this notion of religion. will at your hand. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Want of feeling: a third article of compaBecause the Lord hath been witness between rison, between the profanation of the table of thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom the Lord, of which those detestable wretches thou hast dealt treacherously; yet she is thy rendered themselves guilty, and the guilt of companion, and the wife of thy covenant. Christian professors who profane the holy taThey were partakers of the table of the Lord, ble of the Lord's Supper. A Christian who while they impiously dared to accuse him, not partakes of this sacred ordinance, ought to only of tolerating vice, but of loving and ap- approach it with a heart penetrated by the unproving it. With this, too, they are reproached, speakable greatness of the blessings there tenin the 17th verse of that chapter: “Ye have dered to our acceptance. He ought to view wearied the Lord with your words: yet ye say, that sacred table as the centre, in which all wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, the benedictions bestowed by the Creator meet. every one that doth evil is good in the sight He ought to be making unremitting efforts to of the Lord, and he delighteth in them: or, measure the boundless dimensions of the love where is the God of judgment?”

of God, to implore the aid of the Spirit, that Want of virtue: a second point of compari- he may be enabled to view it in all its extent, son between the priests who said, “the table and to “comprehend with all saints, what is of the Lord is contemptible," and professors the breadth, and length, and depth, and height who, to this day, profane the holy ordinance of that love,” Eph. iii. 18. He ought to be conof the supper.

Can any among you discern templating that chain of blessings which are your own likeness under this character? Are there displayed in intimate and inseparable you going to vow unto the Lord an inviolable union: “Whom he did foreknow he also did fidelity; or, while you are partaking of his predestinate, to be conformed to the image of grace, have you a secret reservation disrespect his Son . moreover whom he did preful to his laws. Is it your determination to destinate them he also called: and whom he put in practice the great, the essential virtues called them he also justified: and whom he of the Christian life: or do you mean to satisfy justified them he also glorified,” Rom. viii. yourselves with discharging the petty duties 29,30. Under a sense of favours so numerous, of morality, and with attending to the formal and so distinguishing, he ought to cry out with and less important obligations of religion? Are the psalmist: "How excellent is thy lovingyou going to declare war against every thing kindness, O God! therefore the children of men which opposes the empire of righteousness in put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. your heart, or are you reserving the indul. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the gence of some favourite passion, some Delilah, fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them some Drusilla? Are you disposed to prescribo drink of the river of thy pleasures,” Ps. xxxvi. to your progress in grace a fixed point, beyond 7, 8. He ought to exclaim, with a soul abwhich it is needless to aim; or is it your fixed sorbed in the immensity of the divine goodness: resolution, through grace, to be continually “ my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and advancing towards perfection? Are you going fatness,” Ps. Ixiii. 5. He ought, above all, to to satisfy yourselves with vague designs; or are be struck with the incomprehensible disproporyour projects to be supported by just measures tion there is between what God does for us, and sage precautions?

and what he requires of us. He ought to make 3. Finally, the priests of Malachi's days the same estimate of things which St. Paul profaned the table of the Lord, from their be- did; “I reckon, that the sufferings of this preing destitute of a just sense of the inestimable sent time are not worthy to be compared with value of the blessings communicated. It seemed the glory which shall be revealed in us,” Rom. to them, as if God put a price too high on viii. 18, every thing fairly considered, I reckon the benefits which he proffered: and that, that the trouble which the study of his relievery thing weighed and adjusted, it was bet- gion demands, the sacrifices exacted of God, ter to go without them, than to purchase them the constraint to which I am subjected in imat the rate of such sacrifices as the possession molating to him my sinful passions, in resistof them demanded. This injurious mode of ing a torrent of corruption, in struggling computation is reproved in very concise, but against the influence of bad example, in strainvery energetic terms, chap. i. 13. “Ye said, ing to rise above flesh and blood, above selfwhat a weariness is it!" and, in another place, love and nature: every thing fairly considered, chap. iii. 14. “ Ye have said it is vain to I reckon that whatever is demanded of us by serve God: and what profit is it, that we have God, when we come to his table, is not once kept his ordinance, and that we have walked to be compared with the favours which he mournfully before the Lord of hosts?” and at there dispenses, with the grand objects which

he there displays, with the pardon which he year we partake of the holy sacrament of the there pronounces, with the peace of conscience supper; four times a year, consequently, this which he there bestows, with the eternal glory church ought to assume a new appearance; which he there promises. To be destitute of four times a year we ought to see multitudes such feelings as these, when we partake of the of new converts. But do we see them of a Lord's Supper, is to profane it. Examine truth? Ah! I dare not dive to the bottom of yourselves once more by this standard. Want this mortifying subject. The evil is but too of feeling, this was the third head of com- apparent; we have but too good reason to alparison between profane Jews, and profane lege, that there is much unworthy communiChristian professors: “ Ye offer polluted bread cating in the midst of us. upon mine altar; ye say the table of the Lord It is with you, unhappy professors of the is contemptible.”

Christian name, with you I must begin the apLet each of us examine himself by an appli- plication of this discourse: with you who have cation of the truths now delivered. I shall so often found out the fatal secret of drawing address myself,

a mortal poison from that sacred table: with 1. To those who, on reviewing their former you, who are, by and by, going once more communion services, see cause to consider perhaps to derive a curse from the very bosom themselves as chargeable with the guilt which of benediction, and death from the fountain God imputed to the Jews who lived in the of life. days of Malachi. And would to God that this Do not deceive yourselves; seek not a distopic of discourse mig have no reference to guise from your own wretchedness; think not any one in this assembly! Would to God that of extenuating the apprehension of your danno one of you might be justly ranked in any of ger; listen, o listen to the fearful threatenings the odious classes which we have enumerated! denounced by the prophet, against God's an

But only employ a moment's reflection, on cient people, after he bad addressed them in the shortness of the time usually devoted to the words of the text: “ Cursed be the deceiver preparation for partaking of the Lord's Supper. which .... voweth and sacrificeth unto the It is evident, as I think, from all we have said, Lord a corrupt thing : ... if ye will not that the preparation necessary to a worthy hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give receiving of it, is a work, nay, a work which glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, calls for both attention and exertion. But do I will even send a curse upon you, and I will we, of a truth, set apart much of our time to curse your blessings . . I will corrupt your this work? I do not mean to examine all the seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even cases in which a man may communicate un- the dung of your solemn feasts," chap. i. 14; worthily; I confine myself to a single point, ii. 2, 3. and only repeat this one reflection: Prepara- But on the other hand, infuse not poison tion for the Lord's table is a work which re- into your wounds, aggravate not the image of quires time, attention, exertion. That is your wretchedness, but attend to the comfortaenough; that proves too much against us all

. ble words, which immediately follow those of For we are constrained to acknowledge, that my text: “Now I pray you, beseech God that it is by no means customary among us to re- he will be gracious unto us. .. he will retire for meditation, to fast, to engage in pecu- gard your persons,” ver. 9. The sentence of liar acts of devotion, on the days which pre- your condemnation is not yet executed: the cede a communion solemnity. It is no unusual doom of death which has been pronounced thing to see, on those days, at many of our against you is not irrevocable. I see you still houses, parties formed, social festivity going blended with Christians who have communion: in these we see the same games, the same cated worthily, and who are going to repeat amusements, the same dissipation, as at other that delightful service: I still behold "the times. I have reason to believe that in other riches of God's goodness, and forbearance, and protestant countries, though the same corrup- long-suffering ... leading you to repenttions but too universally prevail, I believe, ance,” Rom. ii. 4, and you may still become nevertheless, that such days are there distin- partakers in the blessedness of this day. guished by the suspension of parties of pleasure, You must have recourse to that same Jesus by discontinuance of certain practices, perhaps whom you have so cruelly insulted: you must abundantly innocent in themselves, but, at the be covered with that very blood which you same time, too foreign to the design of the have “trampled under foot” in a manner so holy communion, to engage our attention, profane: you must flee and take refuge under when we have an immediate prospect of par- the shadow of that very cross, to which you taking of it. But in these provinces, we are was going to nail afresh the Lord of glory: you 80 far from coming up to the spirit and the must, by ardent and importunate supplication, truth of Christianity, the exterior order and avert the thunderbolt, which is ready to be decency of it are hardly observed.

launched against your guilty head; “O Lord, But if this reflection be insufficient to con- rebuke me not in thy wrath; neither chasten vince you of a truth so mortifying, as that me in thy hot displeasure,” Ps. xxxviü. 1. there is much unworthy communicating in the " Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and midst of us; think, I beseech you, on the slight- done this evil in thy sight; deliver me ness of the changes which these solemnities from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my produce. Here is the touchstone; this is the salvation; restore unto me the joy of thy salinfallible standard by which to determine the vation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit," interesting question under discussion. Four Ps. li. 4. 14. 12. times a year we almost all of us come to the But, above all, resolutions sincere, detertable of the Lord Jesus Christ; four times a minate, efficacious, followed up by execution

from the moment you retire from this place | Hast thou exerted thyself to the uttermost, to must supply the want of preparation, and the take all the immeasurable dimensions of the communicating of this day must make up the love of God? Hast thou reflected profoundly, defects of all that preceded it. And if God on a God who was made flesh, who rescues has not in mercy granted you such dispositions thee from everlasting misery, who covers thy as these, may he inspire you, at least, with a person with his own, that the arrows of divine resolution not to approach his table, for fear of wrath may pierce him only, without reaching arming his right hand with hotter thunder-thee? Hast thou seriously considered, that if bolts to crush and destroy you! or rather, may God had hurried thee out of the world in a God grant you those happy dispositions, and state of unrepented guilt; if he had not pluckgraciously accept them when bestowed! may ed thee, by a miracle of grace, out of the vorit please God to be disarmed by your repent- tex of human things, instead of being surroundance, to gather up your tears, to regard with ed, as now, with these thy fellow-believers in an eye of favour your efforts, your feeble ef-Christ Jesus, thou mightest have been doomed forts! May God grant your absolution, your to the society of demons; instead of those songs salvation, to the earnest prayers of these his of praise to which thy voice is now attuned, faithful servants, or rather, to the all-powerful thou mightest this day have been mingling intercession of the Redeemer, unprotected by thy howlings with those of the victims, whom which the most eminent of saints durst not lift the wrath of God is immolating in the regions up their eyes to heaven, and approach the of despair. Let the blessedness which God is throne of the divine Majesty.

accumulating upon us, support us under all the 2. I now turn to you, my dearly beloved ills which we are called to endure. Our life brethren, who, while you reflect on commu- is not yet concluded; our warfare is not yet nion seasons past, can enjoy the testimony of accomplished. conscience, that you drew nigh to God in some We are about to return into the world; we state of preparation, and that you have reason have still difficulties and dangers to encounter, to hope for a repetition of the same felicity. bitter potions to swallow, afflictions to suffer; This ceremony is so august; the mysteries especially in this age of fire and of blood so which it unfolds, are so awful; the punishment fatal to the Christian name. But, supported denounced against those who profane it, is so by this grace of God, we shall be able to resist tremendous, that it is impossible to escape and to overcome the most violent assaults. every emotion of fear, when engaged in the We are going to return into the world, celebration of it. Study to be sensible of your amidst the snares of the wicked one; he will own weakness. Say, in the language of re- still aim many a blow at our souls; this flesh pentance the most lively and sincere, and of is not yet entirely mortified; the old man hąs humility the most profound, “ If thou, Lord, not yet received his death's wound; evil conshouldst mark iniquities: O Lord, who shall cupiscence is not yet completely extinguished; stand?” Ps. cxxx. 3. “O Lord God, I am not we shall fall into sin again. Humiliating reworthy of the least of all the mercies, and of flection to a soul which this day places all its. all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy . delight in being united unto God! But, supservant,” Gen. xxxii. 10. Stand in awe of the ported by this peace of God, we shall find the presence of the majesty of God Almighty; cry means of remedying the weakness with which out with Jacob, “ How dreadful is this place! we may be still overtaken, as it has furnished this is none other than the house of God, and the means of deliverance from those into which this is the gate of heaven," Gen. xxvii. 17. we had already fallen.

But while you render unto God, the homage We are going to return into the world, it is of holy fear, honour him likewise with that of high time to think of our departure out of it. holy confidence. Think not that he loves to We are conversant with the living; we must be always viewed as "the great, the mighty, think of being speedily mingled with the dead. and the terrible God,” Neh. ix. 32, the God We yet live; we must die. We must be lookwho "is a consuming fire,” Heb. xii. 29. He ing forward to those mortal agonies which are draws nigh to you in this ordinance, not with preparing; to that bed of languishing which is awful manifestations of vengeance; but with already spread; to that funeral procession all the attractions of his grace, with all the gifts which is marshalling for us. But, supported of his Spirit, with all the demonstrations of his by this peace of God, we shall be more than love. Bow down over the mystical ark, to- conquerors in all these conflicts: with "the gether with the celestial intelligences, and ad- Spirit of him who hath raised up Christ from mire the wonders which it contains, and be the dead,” we shall bid defiance to all the holding with them “the glory” of your Re- powers of “ the king of terrors.” Jesus, who deemer, with them cry out, “Holy, holy, holy hath destroyed him who had the power of is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of death,” will deliver us from his dominion. his glory," Isa. vi. 3.

Through that gloomy night which is fast apStudy to know and to feel the whole extent proaching, and which is already covering our of your felicity, and let a sense of the benefits eyes with its awful shade, we shall behold the with which God hath loaded thee, kindle the rays of “the Son of righteousness," and their hallowed flame of gratitude in your hearts. divine light shall dissipate to us all the horrors “Hast thou ever, O my soul, been made sensi- of" the valley of the shadow of death." Amen. ble of the unbounded nature of thy happiness? | To God be honour and glory for ever. Amen.

one

PART I.

cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an SERMON LXXVII. caught up to the third heaven. And I knew

such a man, (whether in the body, or out of

the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) how THE RAPTURE OF ST. PAUL that he was caught up into paradise, and heard

unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

We propose in the following discourse, my 2 Cor. xii. 2-4.

brethren, to attempt a solution of the diffiI knew a man in Christ above fourteen years culty which arises from this silence of the apos

ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or tle.' We propose to discuss this singular, but whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God interesting question; Wherefore is the celesknoweth;) such an one caught up to the third tial felicity • unspeakable?” Wherefore should heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether it be unlawful for a man to utter it? We in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: shall begin with some elucidation of the exGod knoweth;) how that he was caught up into pressions of our text, inquiring, 1. Into the paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it era to which reference is here made; “ I knew is not lawful for a man to utter.

a man in Christ above fourteen years ago." If there be a passage in the whole Bible ca- 2. By considering what is said respecting the pable of inflaming, and at the same time of manner of this rapture; “ Whether in the baffling human curiosity, it is that which I body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body have just now read. I do not mean a vain and I cannot tell: God knoweth.” 3. What we presumptuous curiosity, but a curiosity ap- are to understand by paradise, and the third parently founded on reason and justice. One heaven. 4. Finally, What ideas we are to of the principal causes of our want of ardour affix to those unspeakable words to which our in the pursuit of heavenly blessings, is our apostle alludes in the text; and these will constihaving no experienced witness, who, after hav- tute the first general division of our subject. ing himself tasted the sweetness of them, con- But in the second, which we have princiveyed to us clear and distinct ideas on the sub- pally in view, we shall examine the point alject. It is a difficult matter to love that of ready indicated, by inquiring, whether the siwhich we have no knowledge.

lence of Scripture respecting a state of future St. Paul seems to have been reserved of God happiness, suggests any thing tendivg to cool to supply this defect, and to fill up, if I may our ardour in the pursuit of it: we shall en use the expression, this void in religion. By a deavour to make you sensible, that nothing is supernatural dispensation of grace, he passes so much calculated to convey lofty ideas of into the other world before death; and he re- the paradise of God, as that very veil which turns thence before the general resurrection. conceals it from our eyes. If you fully enter The whole church, awakened to eager atten- into the great aim and end of this discourse, . tion, calls upon him for a detail of the wonders it will produce on your minds those effects to of the world unknown. And as the Israelites, which all our exhortations, all our importuniafter having despatched spies into the land of ties are adapted, namely, to kindle in your promise, burned with ardent desire to see and hearts an ardent desire to go to God; to put hear them, in order that they might obtain in- into your mouths that exclamation of the formation respecting the country, whether it psalmist: “How great is thy goodness, O God, merited the exertions necessary to acquire pos- which thou hast laid up for them that fear session: in like manner, the Christian world thee!" Ps. xxxi. 19; to place you in the very seems to flock round our apostle, in earnest ex- situation of our apostle, who after having been pectation of being informed what that felicity “caught up to the third heaven,” could no is, into which they are invited to enter by a gate longer endure to live upon the earth, had his 80 strait. They seem with one accord to ask eyes opened to every path that led to death, him: What did you hear? What did you see! could talk no more of any thing but of dyin the view of determining, upon his report, ing, “but of finishing his course," 2 Tim. iv. this all important question, whether they should 7, but of being “absent from the body," 2 Cor. still persevere in their exertions, to surmount v. 8, but of departing, but of “ being with Christ, the obstacles which they have to encounter in which was to bim far better,” Phil. i. 23. the way of salvation, or whether they should We begin with some elucidation of the relinquish the pursuit.

expressions of the text, and of these, But St. Paul fulfils not this expectation: 1. The first refers to the era of St. Paul's he maintains a profound silence respecting the rapture, I knew a man in Christ " above fourobjects which had been presented to his mind: teen years ago." But were we to enter into a he speaks of his rapture, only in the view of complete discussion of this question, it would confounding those false teachers who took upon occupy much more time than is allotted for the them to set at nought his ministry: and all whole of our present exercise. Never had the description he gives of paradise, amounts preacher a fairer opportunity of wasting an to no more than a declaration of his own utter hour to his hearers, in useless investigation, inability to describe what he had seen and and impertinent quotations. We could easily heard. “I knew a man in Christ: a man in supply you with an ample list of the opinions Christ," that is to say, a Christian, and by of interpreters, and of the reasons adduced by this denomination the apostle is characteriz- each, in support of his own. We could tell ing himself, “I knew a man in Christ above you, first, how it is alleged by some that these fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I fourteen years denote the time elapsed from the cannot tell: or whether out of the body, Il conversion of St. Paul; and that his rapture

took place during those three days in which "he that profound intenscness of mental applicawas without sight, and did neither eat nor tion, under the influence of which the enrapdrink,” Acts ix. 9., and to this purpose we lured person is emancipated from the commucould quote Capel, Lira, Cave, Tostat, and nications of the senses, forgets his body, and is many other authors, unknown to the greater completely absorbed by the object of his medipart of my audience.

tation. We might add, that some other commenta- Rapture is perhaps a degree superior to ecstacy. tors refer this epoch to the eighth year after Sometimes it affects the mind. This is the case St. Paul's conversion to Christianity, the forty- when God, in virtue of that sovereign power fourth of Jesus Christ, and the twelfth after which he possesses over the soul of man, exhis death.

cites in it the same ideas, causes it to perceive We could show you how others insist, with the same objects, with which it would be struck, a greater air of probability, that the apostle were the body, to which it is united, really in enjoyed this leavenly vision, when, after his a place from whence it is extremely remote. contention with Barnabas, humiliating instance It is thus that we must explain the rapture of of the infirmity of the greatest saints, he pro- the prophet Ezekiel, chap. viii. 3; and that of secuted his ministry in a different track. Those which St. John speaks in the book of Revewho adopt this opinion, allege, in support of it, lation, chap. i. 10. the words of St. Paul in chap. xxii. of the It sometimes affects the body. This was the Acts, ver. 17. “ It came to pass, that when I case of Philip, who, after he had converted to was come again to Jerusalem, even while I the faith of Christ the eunuch of Candace, prayed in the temple, I was in a trance." But queen of the Ethiopians, and baptized him, was disquisitions of this sort are unworthy of the “caught away by the spirit of the Lord, that place which I now have the honour to fill. I the eunuch saw him no more,” Acts viii. 39. have matters of much higher importance to Though St. Paul has spoken very sparingly propose to you.

of the manner in which God was pleased to 2. The manner of St. Paul's rapture stands reveal himself to him, he has said enough to in need, perhaps, of some elucidation. He has show that it is holy rapture he means. But expressed it in terms very much calculated to whether it were that which transported the check curiosity. “Whether in the body I can- body into another place, or thai which transnot tell: or whether out of the body I cannot ported the mind only: nay, whether there be a tell.” We, accordingly, presume not to pur- real difference between rapture and ecstacy, no sue researches on points respecting which the one can pretend to determine, without incurapostle himself professes ignorance.

ring the charge of presumption. The apostle Let it only be remarked, that God was pleas- himself declares that it surpassed his own ed, in former times, to manifest himself in many knowledge; “ whether in the body, I cannot different manners. Sometimes it was by a tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: voice: witness that which issued out of the God knoweth, such an one caught up to the cloud, Exod. xvi. 10; witness that which ad- third heaven . . . . . caught up into paradise.” dressed Moses from the burning bush, Ex. iii. 3. The third heaven, paradise: another sub4; witness that which thundered from Mountject of elucidation. The third heaven is the Sinai at the giving of the law, Exod. xix. 16; habitation of the blessed; that in which God witness that which answered Job out of the displays the most splendid and glorious tokens whirlwind, chap. xxxviii. 1; witness that from of his presence: this is disputed by no one.above the mercy-seat, Exod. xxv. 22.

But the other expression employed by St. Paul, He was pleased at other times, to reveal“ caught up into paradise,” has furnished mathimself in dreams and visions of the night: as ter for controversy among the learned. It has to Jacob at Bethel, Gen. xxviii. 12: to Abime- long been made a question whether paradise lech, Gen. xx. 3; and to Pharoah's butler, Gen. and the third heaven denote one and the same xl. 9.

place. Certain modern interpreters have mainHe sometimes manifested himself in visions tained the negative, with excessive warmth. to persons awake. Thus he presented to Moses A great number of the ancient fathers had in Horeb a bush burning with fire yet uncon- adopted the same opinion. They considered sumed, Exod. iii. 4: to Balaam, an angel with i paradise as a mansion in which the soul resided his sword drawn in his hand, Num. xxii

. 32; till the resurrection, and they distinguished it to Joshua, the captain of the Lord's host, Josh. from heaven. Justin Martyr, disputing with

Tryphon, condemns, as equally erroneous, the He sometimes communicated himself to men denying of the doctrine of the resurrection, through the medium of inspiration, accompa- and the opinion which supposes that the souls nied with emotions which constrained them of men go to God immediately after death. In to speak out. This was the case with Jere- this they follow the prejudices of the Jews.miah, as we read, chap. xx. 8, 9, “The word Many of them believe that the souls of good of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and people are translated to the garden of Eden, a derision daily. Then I said, I will not make to wait for the day of the resurrection: they mention of him, nor speak any more in his accordingly employ this form of prayer for dy

But his word was in mine heart as a ing persons: “ May his soul be received into burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was the garden of Eden; may he have his part in weary with forbearing.”

paradise; may he repose, and sleep in peace till But of all those miraculous dispensations, the coming of the Comforter, who shall speak the most noble and exalted was that of rapture peace to the fathers. Oye to whom the treaor ecstacy. By the term ecstacy we mean that sures of paradise are committed, open now its powerful conflict, that concentration of thought, gates that he may enter in.”

Vol. II.-26

v. 15.

name.