How amiable, how lovely, does the Lord appear, to the Christian's apprehension, when he thus speaks! He is still the same kind friend that he was before our sins pierced him ; he uses the same gracious term as formerly; he has not forgotten us; his spiritual resurrection is accomplished ; the first name he utters is, "my brethren." After his literal resurrection, he did the same. When Mary met him near the sepulchre, he said, "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God," John xx. 17.

Gracious Saviour, how full of love thou art! What condescension is in thy nature what tenderness in thy words! Thou dost unite us so with God; our timid hearts are comforted, our consciences quieted. What we

could not venture to hope, thou teachest us to believe. We know thy Sonship, but we doubt our own; yet in one breath thou callest God thy Father, and ours also, as if thou wouldest prove, beyond all doubt, that in thee he is ours, and that through thee, we are his. It is so of a truth. We behold God in thee, and are glad; God beholds our nature in thee, and is satisfied. Glorious Reconciler, in thy single person accepting manhood and uniting Godhead! More blessed in thy giving than in thy receiving. Thou hast condescended to take our form, and we will aspire to be conformed to thine image, that thou mayest be the first-born among many brethren, Rom. viii. 29. Blessed art thou, infinitely more blessed in giving the name of brethren, than in receiving that of brother! We hesitate to

call thee so, because it seems to do thee a dishonour; yet thou art not ashamed to call us brethren, as if it were thy glory, Heb. ii. 11. Well mayest thou ask, "Who are my brethren?" for whosoever shall do the will of thy Father which is in heaven, the same only is thy brother, Matt. xii. 48, 50. O help us then to live as ought the brethren of the Holy One; let this be a name of power within us; let it kindle in us all brotherly affections and kindred desires; let it influence us to live worthy of thy name; may we who have already laid enough of sin on thy devoted head, henceforth cast it from us and from thee. Like the brethren of Joseph, may we live on the fulness, and rejoice in the brotherhood, of Him whom we stripped and sold! This will delight thy heart; thou shalt see

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of the travail of thy soul, and shalt be satisfied; thou wilt glorify thy Father; thou wilt magnify his name with thanksgivings; in the midst of the congregation wilt thou praise him. Teach us to learn, help us to sing thy song. Send the Spirit of love and harmony into our hearts, that we may learn the strains of the angelic choirs. That Spirit animates the redeemed before the throne, and inspires the redeemed before the footstool; the song is one; the leader Christ; the singers brethren; discord is for ever fled:

"Then jointly all the harpers round,
In mind unite, with solemn sound,
And strokes upon the highest string,
Make all the heavenly arches ring.
Ring loud with hallelujahs high,
To him that sent his Son to die,
And to the worthy Lamb of God,

That loved and washed them in his blood."

The "congregation" spoken of in this verse is explained by the apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews. He quotes this passage, and applies it to the Church," For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee," Heb. ii. 11, 12.

What a view does this present to our minds! Christ looks from the Cross to the Church. The gratitude of his heart is to be uttered in the assembly of his saints. "Where two or three are met together in his name, there is he in the midst of them," Matt. xviii. 20. He puts his own Spirit within them, that they may participate in his sentiments.