of childhood always awaken youthful feelings in our hearts, so the remembrance of the past gives a fresh glow and a lovely tenderness to social ties. How then can true love die? Our nature must be entirely changed before its affections can cease.

If such be our social nature, it is certainly not reasonable that it, unfolded through life under these sweet relations and dependencies of earthly friendship and love, should be suddenly robbed of them in the transition of death. This would be a violence which is nowhere tolerated in the laws of life and love. We will venture the assertion that there is no law more essential to our existence, and which may not with less danger be laid aside, than this social law of love. A being that can break loose from all former ties and affectionate affinities, is that moment changed into a devil! As "God is love," and as all his attributes are connected and controlled by this—the very essence of his nature

so we, who are made in his image, are social beings necessarily. The kingdom of Christ exists on earth to redeem, preserve, and perfect our social nature, and reveal the nature of God in us; all the beginnings of it on earth are, therefore, beginnings of its heavenly perfection. The very establishment and perpetuation of Christianity on earth has been, from the first, by families, tribes, and generations; thus it laid hold. of, and took up into itself at once, the elements of the world's social life, and used them in its own advancement; and it will not, it cannot, we think, cast them off in its heavenly glorification. Hence we see that Christianity, in its very essence, identifies itself with the social law and life of our nature, and makes them

eternal, by making itself eternal in them. If this be so, then the ties here formed, so far as they are sanctified by Christianity, will continue uninterrupted through death, and be eternally perfecting in heaven.

Moreover, we know that some of the prominent ties and relations formed in the kingdom of Christ on the earth will be perpetuated. For this we have scripture proof. Christ's apostles shall sit together as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel. As to himself, his people shall see him as he is, face to face. Is it unreasonable, nay, is it not in the highest degree reasonable, that this recognition shall descend from these prominent points down into the minuter avenues and lanes of the social life of heaven? "Will not He who loved Lazarus,' and who said, 'Our friend Lazarus sleepeth,' be recognised by Lazarus in the better world? and if he recognise his Saviour, why not also his sisters, Martha and Mary? And will not the disciple whom Jesus. loved,' that bosom friend, recognise his Lord and Master? and if so, why not all those who sat at meat with him, when he affectionately reclined on his Redeemer ?” Certainly all this is reasonable. It is difficult to see how it can be otherwise. It is much easier to believe it true than false.

IV. Death sometimes makes interruptions in the process of things which seem, in the nature of things, to require completion in a future life; which, however, can only be done by recognition.

We are, for instance, often blest in this world by a person who may never know that he has blessed us; we may be prevented, by circumstances of some kind or other, from making known to him our gratitude. Is it

not, then, exceedingly probable that, in a future life, opportunity will be afforded us to acknowledge the favor with gratitude, by which both his and our own happiness would be greatly augmented? In the case of the philanthropist, it seems necessary, in order to his being rewarded according to his works, that the fruits of his labors, as they exhibited themselves unknown to him, in the happiness and salvation of others should be brought to his view, either by God or by the persons blessed; that, as part of his reward, he may review with holy satisfaction the good he has been enabled by grace to perform while on earth. This, it seems reasonable to believe, would lead to the reviving of earthly relations and associations, and thus gradually to recognition, and a renewal of former earthly acquaintance.

This is the more probable, as gratitude, in the heart of the one who receives favors, naturally produces in him a desire to express his feelings to the one who has blessed him. In the case where an individual is indebted for even the salvation of his soul to the instrumentality of one whom he is never afterwards privileged to see, will he not desire to meet him in heaven? This desire will naturally lead to a search after him, and, we may well suppose, to a meeting, and to mutual joy. What joyful meetings of this kind may take place in the heavenly world! With raptures inexpressible will those who have turned others to righteousness, find them again in the heavenly places, as their hope, their joy, and crown of rejoicing.

V The final judgment necessarily involves details

of acts of persons inseparably associated with each other, so as to lead naturally to recognition.

All our good deeds are of a social kind—a great many of our good acts are so connected with the acts of others, and their influences are so merged into each other, that even we ourselves cannot trace our own acts in all their consequences. We influence others, and they us. All the sins against the second table of the law are social sins, and cannot be referred to, in the judgment, without reference to all parties involved and implicated. So also the virtues of the second table are social virtues, and must be so disposed of, in the rewards of the judgment. Thus, in their reward, they must be associated with the persons judged, as they were associated on the earth. The judgment by which these acts are rewarded must have reference to these acts in their social character and connections. faithfulness of parents in their family duties-faithfulness on the part of the members of a congregation towards each other, and in the community generallymakes the recollection and recognition of those thus associated absolutely necessary, in the proceedings of that great day. Though the influences of social acts may be lost to us in the details of their silent, and ofttimes secret consequences, yet "every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it." We know that if the giving of a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple is rewarded in heaven, it will be done with such a reference to the saint who received the draught as will enable the one who is rewarded to recognise him. How this fact will swell the little kindnesses of earth

Thus,

to an exceeding weight of glory in heaven! The sensations of joy which the remembrance of such acts will produce, are not too mean to excite into higher raptures of bliss even the holy bosoms of the saints in light.

VI. The doctrine of heavenly recognition is highly reasonable to us, when we consider the ground we have for believing that our knowledge in the future world will be vastly enlarged in a general way, and of course in this respect in particular.

That our minds will be greatly enlarged in the future life, none can reasonably doubt. It is a matter of express revelation. "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Cor. xiii. 9-13. The apostle's declaration, "It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power," is as much applicable to the soul as to the body. Sin has greatly obscured the mind, and partially deadened its faculties. As the Israelites could not sing in a strange land, so the human faculties cannot act with freedom and energy in the captivity of sin, and in their alienation from God; but when brought home into their proper relation to Him, they will expand into new bloom of beauty and life. In those genial climes of cloudless day, they will unfold themselves without obstruction, and without end. There, where the heart shall be