When we inquire more distinctly, what is this inheritance of the sons of God? the next verse explains it as the kingdom of God's dear Son; or, more accurately, “of the Son of His love." Those who are joint-heirs with Christ, must share His kingdom. "He hath made us kings and priests unto God," and the inheritance of kings is a crown, a throne, a kingdom. The blessedness which lies before us is not merely to be subjects of the King of kings, but to sit with Him on His throne, to reign with Him forever and ever. Such is the dignity of our inheritance, and we cannot doubt its glory and blessedness. As to its extent, we are joined heirs with Him whom God hath appointed heir of all things. Our destiny is bound up with His. The inheritance of the saints in light must be holy. The term "in light" describes, not the saints, though they are children of light, but the inheritance, which thus stands in contrast with the empire of darkness from which they are delivered; and it describes, not only the glory with which it is radiant, but the effulgence of knowledge, truth, purity and joy, in which it lies, bathed in the perpetual sunshine of the Divine presence.

We shall now find a shorter and clearer answer to the question, What constitutes meekness for the inheritance of the saints in light?

Nothing can be more plain than that fallen man, in his natural state, cannot enjoy it. A child of wrath cannot, as such, be a partaker of the inheritance of the children of God. The rejector of Christ cannot be a joint heir with Christ. A mind at enmity with God can have no relish for the joys of the inheritance, and no sympathy with the saints. The presence of impurity would taint its holiness; the presence of darkness would throw a shadow athwart the kingdom of light, vitiating its whole character. Only think of a man with the wrath of God abiding on him, sitting with

Christ on His throne! think of the horror of a guilty soul in the unclouded sunshine of the Divine presence, where its hideousness would stand revealed in the contrast of spotless holiness! so that, as one expresses it, "he would plunge for relief into the gloom of hell." But when we know what the inheritance is, no argument is needed to enforce the Lord's declaration, "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Now the question is, What is necessary to make a fallen, guilty man meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light?"

If we were to answer, first of all, the forgiveness of sins, it might be said that the forgiveness of sins is not so much meetness for the inheritance, as the removal of a disqualification. Yet there can be no question that guilt is a disqualification that must be removed, and it will be seen that, when it is removed in the manner provided in the gracious purpose of God, meetness for the inheritance necessarily follows. Nothing could be more monstrous than to suppose a guilty and condemned being enjoying eternal life in despite of God; or standing in the highest place of favor, and at the same time, the wrath of God abiding on him. So the gospel meets the sinner, first of all, with a proclamation of forgiveness. But then, it is forgiveness of such a character, and provided in such a way, that it is the first link of a chain of blessings which cannot possibly be dissevered, the whole of which is salvation. The forgiveness of the gospel is not a mere act of clemency which remits the penalty of sin, as might be supposed if we were to take our idea of God's forgiveness of the sinner, from man's forgiveness of his offending fellow, when he either forgoes his revenge or sets aside the sentence of justice. There is, indeed, love passing knowledge, there are divine riches of mercy in the forgiveness of sins by God, but there is justice also gloriously manifested and truth com

pletely vindicated in the act. God displays the riches of His mercy, not in foregoing vengeance or setting aside the claims of justice, but in setting forth His son to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, in laying our sins upon Him, and meeting every claim against the sinner. But, when we consider how and by whom all this is accomplished, it must be evident that the love displayed in it, and the glory that redounds to God, are infinitely greater in this than in any other sphere of the Divine operation. The obedience of Christ for guilty man, is of an infinitely more exalted character than any obedience of unfallen man could have. been. There is not only a removal of every obstruction, but there is a ground laid for the communication of blessing which may manifest the grace and attest the faithfulness and righteousness of God.

The results of this interposition of Divine mercy must evidently prove as beneficial to those who are the objects of it as it is honoring to Him by whom it has been made. So that it by no means tells the whole truth about this redemption, even the forgiveness of sins, to say that we are reinstated in the place from which man fell. The innocence of man would have been something infinitely inferior to the righteousness of God. Now "He hath made Him to sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." The rank, favor, or position before God, which would have been the just acknowledgment or reward of the most perfect creature righteousness, must be infinitely beneath that of the believer in Christ. No one can suppose that Adam, if he had never fallen, could have been exalted to the throne on which Christ shall sit, or attain the glory with which he is now crowned. But it is evident that redemption, accomplished through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of sin, procured as we have seen it is, means, not merely deliverance from the curse

and remission of the guilt of sin, placing us in the position we would have occupied if we had never sinned at all; but implies our exaltation to the place of favor and love which He who is our righteousness occupies. It is not merely that the thunder is silenced, but the light of God's countenance shines forth. It is not merely that hell has lost its prey, but that we have, in Christ, a perfect and indefeasible title to the inheritance of the saints in light.

But an inheritance implies sonship. And this leads us to another view of our standing in Christ. It is not necessary to speak at length, here, of the condition of fallen man, or of the family to which he belongs; but, in speaking of God's gracious design concerning those who were lost and undone by sin, an apostle exclaims, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we might be called sons of God." The obstruction to our being called sons of God was removed, as we have seen, by the only begotten and well beloved Son of God. "God gave His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." But you will observe, that after He had died for our sins, had been forsaken by the Father, and was made a curse for us, there is a peculiar sense in which He was acknowledged to be the Son of God; for it is to his resurrection from the dead that the acknowledgment in the second Psalm is applied, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee." So Paul says, He was "declared to be the Son of God, with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." Not that He then became the Son of God; but, in a peculiar relation to us, after all that had taken place, He was then declared or proved to be the Son of God. And then, as in Him we have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins, so in Him we are sons of God. After His resurrection, and not before it, He recognizes the relationship as common to Him and

His people" Go, tell my brethren," he says, "that I ascend to my God and your God, to my Father and your Father." Up to this point, he is spoken of as the "Only begotten Son," for it may be seen in the Scriptures that wherever this designation is employed, it is with reference to what precedes His resurrection from the dead. But from this point, He is the first-born among many brethren, the elder brother of the many sons whom he is bringing to glory. All that He had endured for us was in order that we might receive the adoption of sons. "Wherefore," says the apostle, "thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." The believer's title to the inheritance is complete in Christ,-"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." This is not a prospective but a present distinction of every believer; "Now are we the sons of God." His title can never be defeated or even disputed; and yet it seems, according to the prevailing doctrine, that all this may be true of a man, and yet he is not made meet for the inheritance; he must pass through a certain course of training and discipline; there is a process of sanctification before he is qualified to be a partaker of the inheritance. We could easily suppose such a thing in human relations as a man, having a claim to a position, nay, actually occupying a position for which he is not qualified; but how can we suppose such an anomaly in the express arrangement of God, and especially in His gracious undertaking of human salvation. This much, however, is settled, and in this believers may confidently exult, that the inheritance is theirs; that cannot be questioned, unless the righteousness of God, which is the basis of their claim, be disputed; unless the title of Christ, in whom they are made sons of God, is disputed. And this much being settled, they need not fear to have their qualification for the inheritance investigated.