fallen. But what is his happiness in glory now! What views must he have of the divine perfections ! What a sense must he feel of " the love of Christ, the breadth and length, and depth and height, of which are utterly incomprehensible !" If, as behold- ing the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, man is on a par with angels, in this respect he is elevated far above them, in that he can say, in reference to the whole work of Christ, ' All this was done for me.' When he beholds the Lord Jesus Christ in his human nature, he must say, ' My God assumed that nature for me.' When he sees Christ " upon his throne, as a Lamb that has been slain," and surveys the wounds once inflicted on his hands and side, he must say, ' Those wounds were endured for me.' When he contemplates all the glory and felicity of heaven, he must say, ' This throne was bought for me ; this crown for me ; this inheritance for me ; yes, and bought too with the blood of my incarnate God!' Every smile of God the Father must be en- deared to him, by the thought, that it was purchased for him by the agonies of God the Son, and secured to him by the agency of God the Spirit. Truly, this realizing sense of an interest in all the wonders of redemption must augment the felicity of the saints far beyond that of the angels themselves : and accord- ingly we find, that the saints are nearer to the throne of God than the angels themselves. " The saints stand round about the throne ; and the angels stand round about the saints'." We find, too, that the saints lead the chorus, with an exulting acknowledg- ment of their own interest in Christ; saying, "Thou art worthy : for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation ; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests." But all that the angels can do, is to join in the acknowledgment that Christ is worthy : not one word can they add about their own interest in his work : all that they can say is, " Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
* Rev. vii. 9—11. VOL. XVIII. I 1