if you will, but not unreasonable fancies, on the localities and other characteristics of what we call heaven and hell:  in fact, I wish to show their probable realities with somewhat approaching to distinctness.  It is manifest that these places must be somewhere; for, more especially of the blest estate, whither did Enoch, and Elijah, and our risen Lord ascend to? what became of these glorified humanities when “the chariot of fire carried up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven;” and when “HE was taken up, and a cloud received him?” Those happy mortals did not waste away to intangible spiritualities, as they rose above the world; their bodies were not melted as they broke the bonds of gravitation, and pierced earth’s swathing atmosphere:  they went up somewhither; the question is where they went to.  It is a question of great interest to us; however, among those matters which are rather curious than consequential; for in our own case, as we know, we that are redeemed are to be caught up, together with other blessed creatures, “in the clouds, to meet our coming Saviour in the air, and thereafter to be ever with the Lord.”  I wish to show this to be expected as in our case, and expectable previously to it.

We have, in the book of Job, a peep at some place of congregation:  some one, as it is likely, of the mighty globes in space, set apart as God’s especial temple.  Why not? they all are worlds; and the likelihood being in favour of overbalancing good, rather than of preponderating evil from considerations that affect God’s attributes and the happiness of his creatures, it is probable that the great majority of these worlds are unfallen mansions of the blessed.  Perhaps each will be a kingdom for one of earth’s redeemed, and if so, there will at last be found fulfilled that prevailing superstition of our race, that each man has his star:  without insisting upon this, we may reflect that there is no one universal opinion which has not its foundation in truth.  Tradition may well have dropped the thought from Adam downwards, that the stars may some day be our thrones.  We know their several vastness, and can guess their glory:  verily a mighty meed for miserable services on earth, to find a just ambition gladdened with the rule of spheres, to which Terra is a point; while that same ambition is sanctified and legalized by ruling as vicegerent of Jehovah.

Is this unlikely, or unworthy of our high vocation, our immortality, and nearness unto, nay communion with God?  The idea is only suggested:  let a man muse at midnight, and look up at the heavens hanging over all; let him see, with Rosse and Herschell, that, multiply power as you will, unexhausted still and inexhaustible appear the myriads of worlds unknown.  Yea, there is space enow for infinite reward; yea, let every grain of sand on every shore be gathered, and more innumerable yet appear that galaxy of spheres.  Let us think that night looks down upon us here, with the million eyes of heaven.  And for some focus of them all, some spot where God himself enthroned receives the homage of all crowns, and the worship of all creature service, what is there unreasonable in suggesting for a place some such an one as is instanced below?