highest seat of dignity and honour. That human soul also, that once was harassed with the temptations of Satan, and that endured the wrath of a sin-avenging God, is now assumed into such an union with the godhead, as to be exalted infinitely above the highest archangel. It is in his human nature that the bright- est effulgence of the Deity is seen : so that, while he appears as a lamb that has been slain, he is the very joy and glory of heaven, the sun that illumines the regions of the blest; "the glory of God doth lighten them, and the Lamb is the light thereof."
And who does not rejoice that the Saviour should be thus glorified ? Who does not even leap for joy at the thought, that he, who loved us unto death, should be thus exalted far above all principalities and powers ? Surely, independent of the interest which we ourselves have in his advancement, we ought to be exceeding glad that our greatest friend and benefactor should be thus gloriously rewarded.
The next, and more remote step of his advance- ment was, the progressive extending of his kingdom throughout the earth. It is true that, in a very short space of time, there were thousands of souls subjected to his dominion ; and gradually his empire was en- larged among the Gentile world : multitudes in every place took, as it were, an oath of allegiance to him, and were made willing even to lay down their lives for his sake. But yet his kingdom has hitherto been only partially established : there is a time coming when, in the most literal sense, that prophecy of Daniel shall be accomplished, and " there shall be given him dominion and glory, and a kingdom ; and all people, nations, and languages shall serve him." This methinks is that prospect, to which our Lord looked forward with peculiar delight as to " the joy set before him." When he shall see the whole human race bowing before his footstool, and hear them "extolling" and magnifying his name, he will look back upon the travail of his soul with pleasure and satisfaction, and account himself amply recompensed for all that he has done and suffered.