it appears also, that the abode of the souls of the faithful is not in "the lower parts of the earth," or that place called "prison," where our Lord went and preached. And this consideration gives a greater reality to the idea presented by St. Paul in the twelfth chapter of his Epistle to the Hebrews, of the invisible presence of that great body of the faithful, whose spirits have been made perfect through the Christian Church, and that we are really "encompassed with this great cloud of witnesses." They were not only witnesses for God, in their day and generation, by their walk of faith, and witnesses on the page of sacred history, but are now living witnesses to our Christian course; and not only so, but as their spirits were made perfect through the Christian Church, so do they still live in the light thereof: for "by it is made known, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, the manifold wisdom of God."

There is another most important consideration, and a distinction ever to be borne in mind, which is this that "the Church of the First-born," "the heavenly Jerusalem," "and the city of the living God," are emblems descriptive of a still more glorious and exalted state; and it is into this we are brought, as members of Christ. St. Paul, when on earth in the body, was caught up into the third heaven, and also into paradise,* and heard unspeakable wordswords which cannot be uttered in the flesh; his spirit was caught up into this heavenly region, so

* Some are of opinion that St. Paul, in 2 Cor. xii. 2-4, records two distinct raptures-the one into the third heaven,

that he could not tell, when recording the fact, whether, at the time of his exaltation, he was in the body or out of it, but to the fact itself he bore witness. Now, with this plain and decisive teaching of the apostle concerning the lifting up of his spirit into this "most holy place," "the third heaven,” whilst in the body of his flesh, can leave no doubt on our minds as to the abode of the spirits of faithful Christians who die in the Lord.

It was, doubtless, to the same region that the spirit of St. Stephen ascended. "He, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God... and they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and saying, LORD JESUS, RECEIVE MY SPIRIT." That first martyr to the Christian faith was thus honoured of God to see and to relate thus much of "the things invisible," not only for his own comfort and consolation at the hour of his sufferings, but for the encouragement of all who shall be found faithful unto death.

And, doubtless, to be admitted into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the hour of death, is

and the other into paradise. Others, on the contrary, suppose that they are both the same, and that the third heaven. and paradise are synonymous. But the ancients were of the former opinion, as Irenæus, Tertullian, and Epiphanius ; and also many moderns, as Grotius, Bishop Bull, and Whitby.

*Acts vii. 55-59.

the exalted privilege of every faithful Christian. St Paul says expressly, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is GAIN. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not; for I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better." But being more needful for them that he should so abide, he was willing to remain for their furtherance and joy of faith.* In accordance with this does he speak in 2 Cor. v.; whilst he here shows that our desire is not to be unclothed, so as to forget the still higher glory which remaineth to us at the coming of the Lord, but that our faith. and hope is to be clothed upon with our house from heaven, even the resurrection glory, that death may be swallowed up of life, whereof we have the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts: having this confidence, saith the apostle, and knowing, that whilst we are in this our earthly body, we are not at home with the Lord, or at least only so by faith (for we walk by faith, and not by sight), we are willing rather to be away from this body, in which we do also groan, being burdened, and to be at home with the Lord -i.e., in His presence, where there is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore. Such being our exalted hopes, we strive to the uttermost-we labour, whether present or absent-i. e., whether we remain in the body till the Lord comes, or depart previously, we may be accepted of Him; for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of

* Philip. i. 21-25.

Christ, whether living or dying, that every one may receive the things done in his body, whether it be good or bad. This is in perfect keeping with what St. Paul expressed in his Epistle to the Philippians, in having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, as being far better than the present life; and also with his expectations of, and longing desire for, the glory to be revealed in us at the appearing and coming of the Lord.

It is into this highly exalted condition we are admitted at death-even to be "PRESENT WITH THE LORD." For, through our union with Christ, we are quickened unto new and heavenly life, and raised up with Him, and made to sit with Him in the heavenlies.* And St. Paul, speaking of this privilege as peculiar to Christians, says, "We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh." There was no admission into this spiritual and heavenly region whilst the first tabernacle was standing, which was indeed but a shadow of heavenly things. Under that dispensation the high priest went alone into the most holy place, and that only once every year: "the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest;" but into which place Jesus is now entered, even into heaven itself, there to appear in the presence of God for us. He is ascended into the highest heavens-He is gone thither as "our

* Eph. iii. 5, 6.

+ Heb. x. 19, 20.

FORERUNNER".

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our anchor is cast within the veil" -and "through our Lord Jesus Christ we have free access, by one Spirit, unto the Father." This is our calling—it is our present spiritual condition, whilst we walk by faith; and the body of our flesh being cast off by death, we enter into the presence of God, not by faith only, but by act―our spirits go into His presence, and we are received into THE FAMILY IN HEAVEN," even as God's ancient people Israel were “gathered unto THEIR fathers."

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* There are some texts of Scripture which at first sight appear to militate against this subject, but on further consideration confirm it. Thus, for example (Acts ii. 34), "David is not ascended into the heavens." Clearly not; for he lived under that dispensation which was only a shadow of the heavenlies. And whilst the first tabernacle was standing, the way into the holiest was not opened. In Psalm vi. it is said "For in death there is no remembrance of thee" (or memorial). But this is a sorrowful Psalm, in which the Lord mourns over the sad condition of the Church. God's purpose cannot be showed forth in death, but in resurrection from the dead. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not death trampling, but death overcome. God's goodness cannot be showed forth by death-there is no memorial of Him in the grave. It is the same as Hezekiah says― "Death cannot praise thee, the grave cannot celebrate thee.” (Isaiah xxxviii.) Moreover, in the Psalm mentioned above, the grave seems especially referred to—" In the grave who shall give thee thanks?" The dead body slumbering in the dust cannot praise thee. Psalm cxv. is a prophecy of the final triumph of the Church over all her enemies, when the wicked shall be no more, and the children of men (i. e., the Lord's redeemed people) inherit the earth; in allusion to which it is said, in verses 17 and 18, "The dead praise not thee, O Lord; neither all they that

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