4. The Redeemer and the redeemed are brethren because they all possess one spirit and it is in this that their mutual relation principally consists. The same mind is in the saints which is also in Christ Jesus. It is the disposition of Christ in their hearts, which, as a radical and operative principle, distinguishes them from the impenitent, and from what they themselves were antecedently to regeneration. Christ is the vine and they are the branches. But the branches are related to the vine because as they participate of the same juices, they possess the same nature. Thus the spiritual relation between Christ and his people arises from their being like him in the temper of their minds; meek, lowly in heart, averse to sin, forgiving, patient, weaned from the world, and holy in their affections. When they passed from death to life, they were "changed into the same image with Christ from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." And so far as they are thus transformed, they are one with him in their views and feelings, in their designs and efforts. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

II. We are to contemplate some of the properties of this relation.

1. It is a divine relation. It has been stated that Christ and his Saints are brethren, because like them he was born of a human parent. But his incarnation was the basis only of a physical relation; and so far as that is concerned, believers have no more affinity to him than unbelievers. The peculiar relation between him and his redeemed, is of a spiritual nature, and grows out of their second birth. Being "born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God," they have

a divine origin by which they become, in the highest sense, the sons of God and the brethren of Christ.

2. It is an extensive relation. Christ being the common bond of union, saints of all ages and nations, habits and complexions, are one in him. He is divinely connected with every desolate but pious islander of the ocean; with every devout tenant of the wilderness, and with all the millions that worship God in the four quarters of the globe. Considering how many have already been allied to this great family, and how many more are yet to be allied to it, especially when Satan shall be bound a thousand years; it is not improbable that the great majority of mankind will ultimately be found to have belonged to this holy fraternity. No numbers are employed in the Scriptures to give us an idea how great a proportion of our race are finally to perish. But the Holy Ghost has employed numbers for the contrary purpose. John "heard the number of them which were sealed, and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. A definite is here used doubtless, for an indefinite number, larger than could be easily counted or conceived. In view of the heavens opened, language failed him, and, despairing to do justice to what he saw by an adequate representation of it, he was content to express great things in bumble terms, and vast numbers by those which the human mind could more easily grasp. But having surveyed the comparatively small section of heaven filled with "the tribes of the children of Israel," he takes a view of the whole paradise of God, and the following is his own record of what he saw. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." Now whether these repeated but scanty descriptions of the

multitude of the redeemed in heaven, while nothing is said concerning the number in the prison of woe, do, or do not, import that more of the human race are to be saved than lost, certain it is that they are calculated to give us a sublime and animating idea of the present, and especially of the ultimate, multitude of Christ's spiritual relatives.

3. It is an intimate relation. When on earth, how familiar was Christ with his disciples! With them he travelled, and ate, and slept; and at the table suffered them to lean on his bosom. He encouraged them to ask questions, and readily answered them; to state their doubts and fears,and kindly removed them. He enquired into their temporal circumstances, and furnished the needed assistance. Were they in trouble, he visited them; were they sick, he healed them; were they bereaved, he wept with them. He carried their sorrows, and inspired all their joys. Nor is he less familiar with his saints now that he" is passed into the heavens." He watches over them, feels for them, and communes with them, still. As nothing strengthens the bonds, and perfects the intimacy of the marriage relation, so much as religion in the hearts of the partners; so there can be no communion like that between Christ and his brethren, whose spiritual relation to each other is not merely modified by, but wholly founded in, holy affections of soul.

It is by prayer principally, that the believer maintains his intimacy with the Saviour. Even though, through the influence of remaining depravity, he may, now and then, neglect the duty, nothing would so shock him as a prohibition of all further access to the throne of grace. For it is when he is breathing out the desires of his heart in fervent supplication, that he is brought into the most intimate connexion with Christ.

4. It is an endearing relation. Christ himself esteemed it so when he "was made flesh and dwelt among us." He said, "Whosoever shall do

the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." What earthly relative can be much dearer to us than she who bare us; who watched by day and by night over the cradle of our infancy; who, by innumerable acts of tenderness and patience, guarded us in our childhood, and instructed us in our youth; who bore with our waywardness, and forgave all our disobedience; and who, worn out with duty and with years, now leans on us for support, and a return of those kindnesses which she so assiduously lavished on us? The partners of our bosoms have few superior claims to our affectionate regard. But even his own mother, dear to him as she was, Jesus seems to have viewed with comparative indif ference, when, as she stood calling without, he overlooked all earthly ties, and asserted his divine relation to men redeemed by his own blood. He multiplies names of relationship, and, with an emphasis at the com mand of him only who spake as never man spake, turns away from his earth-born kindred, and proclaims his affinity with the obedient saint as his brother, and sister, and mother. He well knew on what objects to bestow that love which many waters cannot quench, nor floods drown.

Much as our hearts are drawn out in love towards our dearest companions, and closely as our children are entwined about our inmost souls, we are capable of a still nobler affection, a more endearing relation. A spiritual affinity to the Lord Jesus Christ is infinitely preferable to all earthly ties. Heaven itself contains nothing sweeter than that joy which, though in a feebler degree, thrills in the breasts of believers on the footstool, when in the sense of the Apostle, they can say, "He is precious." It is in consequence of this endearing alliance to Christ that the saint, in times of prosperity, is thankful, humble, and happy; and in times of adversity, submissive, calm and cheerful :-in consequence

and in their journey engage in similar conflicts, and gain similar victories. Their afflictions are appointed by the same heavenly Father, and for the same benevolent end, that they may be partakers of his holiness; and their comforts, of which the world knows nothing, are secured to them by the same eternal charter. With emotions known only by this blessed fraternity, all its members rejoice and mourn with each other, remember one another at the same throne of grace, and as Jesus is not ashamed to call them brethren, so they are not ashamed to apply the same endearing appellation to all who are redeemed from among men. This relation is unspeakably interesting, because it possesses the same properties as that which exists between themselves and Christ. That it is divine, is clear from the author, the nature and effects, of that inward transformation which unites them to the Saviour, and constitutes them brethren.

From the nature of the case it must be co-extensive with the numbers of those who are allied to Christ. Hence if we belong to the household of faith, the circle of our kindred is extended as far as the tidings of salvation have been spread on the earth. It is only on the rapid pinions of thought and affection that we can visit our brethren of other climes and tongues, who have learnt the song that has gladdened our own hearts, and are fast journeying to meet us on the threshold of heaven. The ages that have already rolled away, have united us to the patriarchs and prophets, the apostles and martyrs, and all who have gone before us to glory; and when the future ages shall have rolled by, they will cement us to all those who shall become the followers of the Lamb of God.

How endearing too is the bond of this union? Soon after the christian church was established, nothing was more conspicuous or more astonishing to the surrounding world, than the mutual and ardent affection of its members. "See how these chris

tians love one another," was an exclamation of one of the most virulent opposers of christianity. Till the religion of the Bible was unfolded in real life;-till its nature was developed by a practical display of its influence on the heart, the world knew not what friendship was. It was for the fishermen of Gallilee and their humble associates, first to show the proud nations of the earth, the full strength and tenderness of an affection, to which the human heart must ever be a stranger, until its sensibilities are refined by grace.

Nor is this mutual relation of the saints less ennobling than it is endear. ing. If by many it be thought hon ourable to be connected even remotely, with men of profound intellect and vast knowledge, how great is the dig. nity which christians derive from their spiritual affinity to multitudes now on the earth, and millions already in heaven, whose understandings and hearts are expanded and filled with the fulness of God? No matter how many kindred we may have according to the flesh, nor how honourable they may be in the eyes of men; if Christ's kindred are not ours, we are in circumstances of unspeakable degradation, and in the sight of God wear the stigma of an exclusive moral relation to every rebel against his kingdom on earth and in hell. No relation is truly ennobling but that which unites us to the King of Kings, and those "whom he delighteth to honour." And this every saint sustains to all that are wise and good in this world, and to all that live in heaven;-to all that shall de scend with Christ to judgment, and to all that shall ascend with him to glory.

Nor will the connexion ever cease. Whom Christ loves, he loves to the end; therefore where he is, there they shall be also, and behold his glory. And, my brethren, what a blessed consummation will that be, when all our pious kindred shall assemble from the four winds; when at the right hand of the Redeemer we shall take

our seat with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all that are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and never cease to mingle our notes of praise with theirs? Then will that divine fellow ship with the saints which in this life had been impeded by continents and seas, be perfected and perpetuated for ever.

2. Christians should labour to promote brotherly union: and thus let their light shine as Christ's brethren, and "members one of another." "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity?" They should be united in sentiment. It is deplorable that the Christian Church should be divided into so many different sects, some of which are seemingly hostile to the rest. On all the leading doctrines of Revelation the sentiments of those who bear the christian name ought to be so entirely in unison, as that these distinctions, if they must continue to exist, shall be merely ritual or nominal. But this coincidence of doctrinal belief will never take place till it is earnestly sought by an abandonment of prejudice and passion, and by a spirit of evangelical charity and prayer.

They should be united in feeling. Religion has its principal seat in the affections of the heart. Hence they can have no spiritual fellowship with Christ, and none with each other, any further than their feelings accord. Paul and Barnabas once differed in feeling as well as in opinion, in regard to a point of comparatively small importance, and it produced a rupture between them wholly inconsistent with their relations as brethren of the Lord Jesus. And this blemish in their Christian character was doubtless recorded as a warning to all the saints of succeeding times.

They ought also to be united in practice. They should all go up to the house of the Lord, and take sweet counsel together as they go. They should all be forward to converse on the things of Christ's kingdom, and to carry into effect measures best calculated to promote its

interests. They should all be lights in the world, instruct by precept and example, warn sinners of their danger, and plead with them to flee from it. They should all pray in secret, in their families, and as God has given them ability, in their social meetings. They should all visit one another, and mutually labour to stir up their pure minds by way of remembrance. They should all be active in endeavoring to promote the cause of Christ at home and abroad. In short they should all be "not slothful in business: fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." It is this union of effort, as well as of sentiment and feeling, which will render the church beautiful as Tirzah and comely as Jerusalem. Union in these respects, is the most effectual instrument ever put into the hands of the church to do good. It is the most powerful engine ever played by mortals against the citadel of Satan in the heart, or against his fortresses in the world. Under God, it has forced convictions into the thoughtless, and subdued infidels to the faith.

3. Christians should strive to enlarge the divine family to which they belong. The greatness of this family is one of its most desirable properties. How zealous then ought all its members to be, to increase the number of their holy kindred. The Gospel is yet to be preached to every creature. The tidings of salvation are to be sounded throughout every continent, and every island, for the whole world is to be evangelised.— And it is to be done primarily by the instrumentality of Christ's brethren. His language to them is, "Freely ye have received, freely give." He expects this at their hands; and he has reason to expect that they who have tasted the sweets of a relationship so divine, will be forward to induce others to partake of the same blessedness. The labour of converting a world is great and arduous. But the difficulties to be encountered are not disproportioned to their powers, if, while they exert them, they duly