estimation of the world equivalent to hypocrites and fanatics. Such, however, is not the opinion of the holy angels. When once we are brought into that family of which Christ is the head, they love us, they honour us, they serve us ; yea, they account it their highest honour to minister unto us. Let me then exhort all of you, my brethren, to defer to the judgment of those, who must confessedly be so much better judges than yourselves : for it is not the angels only who thus express their sentiments, but God also, who assigns to them this very office, and sends them forth for the execution of it. And, if men treat us with contempt because we prefer an invisible and eternal inheritance before one that is visible and temporal, " let us not be ashamed, but let us glorify God on this behalfP."
Does any one ask, How shall I become an heir of salvation ? I answer, " Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ," and " cleave unto him with full purpose of heart:" for then shall ye be children of the living God'^: and, "if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ"^;" who, if he is " the Saviour of all men, is especially the Saviour of them that believe ^"]
2. How awful will it be to be found amongst the opposers of God's people !
[Little did the persecuting Saul think whom he opposed, when he laboured to destroy the followers of Christ. He imagined that his efforts were directed only against a number of wild enthusiasts : but, when he heard the Lord Jesus Christ himself expostulating with him, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME ?" he saw his error, and learned, that " whoso toucheth God's people, toucheth the apple of his eye*." Nor are the angels indifferent about the treatment which is shewn to the objects of their care. Of this we are assured expressly by our Lord himself: and we desire your particular attention to this point.
Our Lord, in order to inculcate the great doctrine of humi- lity, exhorted his Disciples to imitate a little child, which, for the more effectually impressing of the lesson upon their minds, he had set in the midst of them. He then declared, that whoso should offend one of the little ones who believed in him, it would be better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. And the reason which he assigns is very remarkable : " Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones : for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the
P I Pet. iv. 16. 1 Johni. 12. Gal. iv. 26, 29.
■f Rom. viii. 17. « 1 Tim. iv. 10. « Zecli. ii. 8.