The to be present; but the heavenly watchers were there; and on his leaving the tomb, were stationed to give information to them that would be seeking him. question which they put to Mary, "Woman, why weepest thou?" would seem to intimate, that if she had known all, she would not have wept, unless it were for joy! As from that day Satan had begun to fall before him, a mighty influx of joy must needs have been diffused through all the heavenly regions. If we follow our Redeemer in his ascension and session at the right hand of God, where he is constituted Lord of all, angels, principalities, and powers being made subject to him, and where he sits till his enemies are made his footstool, we shall observe the tide of celestial blessedness rise higher still. The return of a great and beloved prince, who should by only hazarding his life, have saved his country, would fill a nation with extasy. Their conversation in every company would turn upon him, and all their thoughts and joys concentrate in him. See then the King of kings, after having by death abolished death and brought life and immortality to light; after spoiling the powers of darkness, and ruining all their schemes; see him return in triumph! There was something like triumph when he entered into Jerusalem. All the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" And the multitude answered, It is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth; and the very children sung Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: hosanna in the highest! How much greater then must be the triumph of his entry into the heavenly Jerusalem! Would not all the city be " moved" in this case, say. ing, Who is this? See thousands of angels attending him, and ten thousand times ten thousand come forth to meet him! The entrance of the ark into the city of David was but a shadow of this, and the responsive strains which were sung on that occasion, would on this be much more applicable. "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, Lift up your heads, O ye gates, Even lift them up ye everlasting doors, And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!" To form an edequate idea of the mighty influx of joy which this event would produce in heaven, is impossible: a few particulars of it, however, are intimated in the Scriptures. The angels of God, previous to the appearing of Christ, would learn the divine character principally from the works of creation and providence. When he laid the foundations of the earth, they sang together; and when in the government of the world which he had made, he manifested his wisdom, power, justice, and goodness, they cried one to another," Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." But when the doctrine of salvation through the death of Christ was revealed, they are represented as fixing upon this as ́ their chosen theme-" Which things the angels desire to look into*.” What an idea does this last quoted passage convey of the intense desire and delight of those holy intelligences while exploring the mysteries of redeeming grace! Stooping down, like the cherubim towards the ark and the mercy-seat, their minds are fixed upon the delightful theme. Yet such was its depth that they did not pretend to fathom it, but merely to look, or rather desire to look into it. The gospel was to them a new mine of celestial riches, a well-spring of life and blessedness. Much to the same purpose are the words of Paul to the Ephesians. Speaking of the gospel which was given him to communicate to the gentiles, he calls it "The mystery which from the beginning of the world had been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of Godt." By whatever mediums God had heretofore made known his manifold wisdom, it is through the redemption of the Church that it must "now" be viewed, even by the highest orders of intelligences. And thus it was designed to be from the beginning: all things were ordered in the secret purpose of God, and the fit time of every event determined, " to the intent" that the tide of mercy might rise and overflow with the rising glory of his Son, and that the spoils of his warfare on behalf of men should not only furnish them with an everlasting feast, but a surplus, as it were, to be distributed among the friendly angels. The foundation of this well-ordered frame was laid in creation itself: for God" created all things by Jesus Christ," that is, † Ephes. iii. 9, 10. * 1 Pet. i. 12. 圈 not merely as a co-worker with him, but as the end to which every thing was made to fit, or become subservient: "all things were created by him, and for . him." We seem to ourselves to be the only parties, under God, who are concerned for the spread of Christ's kingdom in the world: but it is not so. The answer of the angel to John, who by mistake was going to worship him, is worthy of our notice" See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus*." This language conveys an idea not only of the lively interest which those holy beings take in the promotion of Christ's kingdom on earth, but of their union and co-operation with us in every thing pertaining to it. We know not in what manner this is effected; but so it is; and as their perception both of the worth and the loss of God's favour is exceedingly more vivid and enlarged than ours, such in their view must be the im-portance of saving a soul from death. By how much also their love to God, and disinterested benevolence to men, exceeds the languid affections of sinful creatures, by so much more lively must be the interest which they feel in the progress of this work. The joy ascribed to them on the repentance of a sinner is that which might be expected: how much higher must it rise then, when the strong holds of Satan give way in a town, a city, or a country, where sinners have heretofore for time immemorial been led captive by him at his will? While the poor servants of Christ are labouring under a thousand discouragements, and sighing under their own unfruitfulness, *Rex. xix. 10. they, if they were permitted to speak, would say to each of them as to Mary, Why weepest thou? It cannot be supposed surely that what has been observed of angels is confined to them, and that the ascension of Christ added nothing to the blessedness of the redeemed themselves. It might be presumed that they who are his bone and his flesh would not be the last either in bringing back the king, or in enjoying his triumphs. But we need not rest this conclusion on mere presumptive evidence. Though the visions of John, in respect of design, were mostly prophetic of events to be accomplished on earth; yet much of the scenery is taken from the work of heaven, and affords some very interesting ideas of that blessed state. Surely the new song of the living creatures and the elders, who were round about the throne, may be considered in this light: and they are represented as not only joining with angels in ascribing worthiness to the Lamb, but as dwelling upon one subject peculiar to themselves;" 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." It is also observable, that these living creatures and elders who were redeemed from among men, are described as rejoicing over the fall of Babylon, in the prospect of the marriage of the Lamb: which seems to be only a prophetic mode describing the overthrow of Popery, and the general prevalence of true reli gion*. But if so, the church above must be interested in all that is going on in the church below; and must derive a large portion of its enjoyments from the progress of that cause in defence of which millions of its members have shed their blood. The exaltation Rev. xix. |