and that through him we must draw near to the Fath er. Innocent, unoffending creatures may approach him as their Father by creation. We guilty creatures must come to him through his only begotten, and well beloved Son. We must look to him, not merely as our Father; for we have sinned, and are no more worthy to be called his children; but especially as the Father of Jesus our Lord, who was ordained before the foundation of the world, and was manifested in these last times for us, that by him we might believe in God. "I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."

As the members of a family are denominated from the head, so all the faithful servants of God are represented as bearing his name. Christ says, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and my new name," i. e. the Son of God, which name Christ had newly assumed. Under the Old Testament he was very rarely called the Son of God. While he appeared in the flesh, the Son of Man, was his usual title. After his resurrection he was seldom called any more by this name; but was styled the Son of God. This is therefore said to be a new name; and this is the name which he gives to true believers. The whole body of Christ's followers are distinguished, as having his Father's name written in their foreheads. The meaning is, they shall be denominated the sons of God; and in that character shall be openly and publicly received. Christ's new name, and the name of his Father, mean the same, even the sons of God; and by this name the happiness of the saints in heaven is often expressed. "God himself shall be with them, and be their God, and they shall be his sons and daughters. They shall be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, and shall inherit all things."

Believers on earth, and saints and angels in heaven, are all one family. They are servants of the same Lord, and children of the same parent. From him the whole family in heaven and earth is named. The saints in this world are strangers and pilgrims. They have here no continuing city. But they will soon be called home to join their brethren in the upper world. They are here training up for heaven; and when their course of discipline is finished, they will be received to those blessed mansions, which Christ has prepared, and into which those have entered who are already dead in Christ.

It may be useful to contemplate the relation between believers on earth, and saints and angels in heaven.

1. They all spring from the same common parent. They have all one father; one God has created them. Angels are an order of beings superior to men; they are endued with larger powers, and raised to higher glory: But still they are dependent creatures. They owe their existence, their powers, and all their glory to the same God, to whom we are indebted for our inferior station in the scale of being.

2. The family in heaven and earth are all governed by the same general laws. There are indeed some laws peculiar to the present state. In a family of children, the younger are under a certain discipline suited to their tender and unexperienced age. So the saints in this world are under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father. But the main substance of religion is the same, both in heaven and in earth. The moral kingdom of God is a kingdom which cannot be moved. The laws of it are immutable; and they are all suited to the nature and condition of his subjects, and need no revision or amendment. To love, reverence, worship and serve the Supreme Lord, and to promote the glory of his kingdom, and the hap

piness of their fellow subjects, are obligations common to all rational and moral beings in heaven and in earth.

3. As children of the same family, they share in the same pleasures and enjoyments. The glorified spirits are represented as surrounding God's throne, and pouring forth in his presence their songs of adoration and praise-as celebrating his perfections and works, the wonders of his providence toward themselves and other beings, and especially the glories of his grace toward fallen men. The saints below taste a sweetness and delight in the same devout and pious exercises.

"It

is good to sing praises to the Lord: It is pleasant, and praise is comely." The angels are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation. They are highly gratified in beholding the methods, and in serving the designs of divine love toward our guilty race. When the Saviour was born, heaven was moved with joy: There was a multitude of the heavenly host, who came down to earth, and sang, "Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace; good will to men." True Christians here below partake of the same benevolent temper. They rejoice in the good done, and in the opportunities to do good to their fellow mortals. There is joy in heaven, when a sinner repents. There is joy in the church, when religion prevails, and sinners are converted from the error of their ways.

4. As among the members of a family there is usually a general resemblance of features, speech and man. ners, so the saints above and below have the same general temper; the same distinguishing complexion.

Man, at first, was made little lower than the angels. He bore the same divine image. This was lost by the apostasy. It is in a degree restored by regeneration, which renews the soul after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness. This image will be perfected in heaven, where the children of God shall be made equal to the angels-not, indeed, equal in the

degree, but equal in the integrity of the moral char

acter.

There are belonging to the Christian temper here, some virtues and graces, for which in heaven there will be no room; such as penitence, selfdenial, temperance, forgiveness, faith and hope. But the main, governing features of the religious temper, are the same in believers here, and in saints and angels above; such as love and gratitude to God, benevolence and goodness to fellow creatures, humility in their views of themselves, and cheerful subjection to the divine will. In heaven charity never fails-God's will is done there -boasting is excluded-all glory is given to God.

5. The saints, in heaven and in earth, have one common interest. In this respect they are like a well regulated family. The glory of God, the advancement of religion, and the promotion of the general happiness of the moral world are the objects on which their hearts are placed. When the Apostle John fell down before the angel who shewed him the things relating to the church of God, the angel said to him, "See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them who keep the sayings of this book; worship God."

6. The members of a family, however diversified in age, condition, abilities and improvements, agree in this, that they look to, rely upon, and are guided by the same head. It is so in God's great family. Angels and glorified spirits are as much dependent on him, as are the saints below. They have their being in him, and are directed by him. To him they owe, not only their natural existence, but the continuance of their holy and happy state.,

7. They are all objects of God's love.

In a virtuous family, there are different measures of virtue in the different members; and the parent, while he loves them all approves some more highly than others. So it is in this large family. There are difVOL. III.

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ferent degrees of goodness in the saints here. The best of these fall below the measure of those who are made perfect in heaven. And the highest human saint above must be inferior to the angels, who, having kept their first state, have been in continual progress from their creation. Consequently some of God's family are more excellent and amiable in his sight than others. But yet he loves them all. The smallest measure of grace in the humble believer is pleasing to God; and every work and service which he performs will meet a suitable reward. "Whatsoever good thing any man does, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free." He who only gives a cup of cold water to a needy brother, from love to Christ, shall in no wise lose his reward. The saints are called his treasure-his jewels. He will gather them to himself. None of them will be lost.

8. At the last day, all the saints, these who are now on earth, and those who are in heaven, will meet in God's presence, be openly acknowledged as his children, and admitted to dwell together in his house for

ever.

row.

Heaven is remote from this earth-remote in its nature, if not in its situation. The saints are here in an evil world-a world of corruption, temptation and sorInto heaven nothing enters which defiles or afflicts. The day is fast approaching, when the saints here, will rise up and ascend on high, to meet and mingle with the saints above; and all will unite together in one great family, never to be dispersed. The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. He will come with ten thousands of his saints. The dead in Christ will be raised; they who are alive and remain will be changed; they all will mount up together to meet the Lord, coming with his numerous train, in the air; and thence they will ever be with the Lord.