the antipodes of each other, fix their eyes upon the same Throne of Grace, and invoke the same Father. What a bond to our otherwise dissevered humanity is this word "Our"! It ignores conventional exclusiveness; overleaps sectarian barriers; disregards social distinctions; knows nothing of crowns and coronets, titles and decorations; disdains the boundaries of mountains and rivers; sets at naught varieties of hue and language; and sees only, springing from the one Fatherhood of God, the one Brotherhood of man. Thus the gospel, by drawing all men to the Father, draws all men to one another.

VI. THE MAJESTY OF THE FATHER.-
IN HEAVEN."

"The Heidelberg Catechism replies to the question, Why is this added? In order that there may not be anything earthly in our conception of the heavenly majesty of God.' To make the pure, the silent, the changeless, the immeasurable ether, exalted as it is above all the pollution and troubles, the mutability and limitations of this earth, the dwelling-place of the Divine Being, belongs to those spontaneous symbols which have a foundation in the consciousness of all mankind" (Tholuck). The word "heaven" is not to be explained as referring to some definite locality to which Deity is confined. The Infinite Spirit cannot be localized. "God is within all things, but is shut up in nothing; outside all things, but

excluded from nothing; beneath all things, but not depressed under anything; above all things, but not lifted up out of the reach of anything" (Augustine). "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" "Behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens, cannot contain Thee." But we may conceive of some region where God is specially manifested. Christ's ascended body is beheld and worshipped by angels and saints. "Christ

is entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us," still revealing the Father. But we sorely miss the purpose of these words if we dwell on ideas of mere locality.

By this word we are taught that God is not a vague abstraction, or unknowable force, but an actual Personality, existing somewhere, distinct from ourselves. We look beyond this earth to the immeasurable regions above us. We soar beyond the clouds and the blue sky; beyond the sun, the planets, and the stars; and we believe that everywhere in that immensity is God our Father. His works we see,

but He is not His works. We are His creatures, but we are not God. Between Him and ourselves there are personal and distinct relations. We are His creatures, He is our Creator; we His children, He our Father; we on earth, He in heaven. Agnosticism would ignore God; Pantheism confound Him with His works; Paganism bring Him down from the boundless heaven and limit Him to this visible universe as the God of the sun, moon, ocean, or dry land.

This word teaches that while we address

Him on earth, He is still in heaven. We need not despair of finding Him because throned above: we need not wish to bring Him to earth and detain Him here, in order at all times to approach Him. In the person of His Son He satisfied the yearnings of the race that God should visit man; but in the Resurrection and Ascension we worship the Incarnate One no longer in the cave of the Nativity nor on the cross of Calvary, but "on the right hand of the Majesty on high." We look above ourselves for help, even to the sublimest heights of Divine glory; without despairing on account of the vast distance, for though in heaven, He is our Father, and we on earth can hold filial intercourse with Him.

1. The term is suggestive of Dignity.—The measureless expanse helps us to the conception of infinity. The beauty of the blue ether; the radiant glory of the sun, the mild majesty of the moon, the varying splendours of the countless stars, all impress the mind with admiration and awe. "Heaven is my throne," "Thou hast set Thy glory above the heavens," and He is our Father.

2. Power. The resistless winds, the rolling clouds, the lightning's flash and thunder's peal, the revolution of the heavenly bodies by forces so stupendous, suggest Omnipotence. "The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament showeth His handy-work." "He meted out heaven with the span." "By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens." "He bindeth the sweet influence of Pleiades, and looseth the bands

of Orion; He bringeth forth Mazzaroth in his season, and guideth Arcturus with his sons." Our Father is on the seat of supreme dominion; above all circumstances, and can control them; stronger than all the forces of nature, and can make them serve His fatherly will; mightier than the enemies of His children; His love as Father moves the arm of Omnipotence. Earthly parents often have the desire, but lack the ability to help their children. But our Father is in heaven, and therefore "mighty to save."

3. Knowledge.-Standing on a plain or in a valley, we see only a little way; but as we climb a tower or a mountain, we extend our view. Still wider is our vision if in a balloon we float through our lower heavens. So the idea of knowledge is suggested by the word "heaven." "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand." We are reminded that our Father, who is in heaven, sees and knows all things. He looks through the eternity past and future. He sees the end from the beginning. He knows the secret purposes of all men; all we are, do, need; and can never be unmindful of one of His children, nor fail to listen to their cry; "for God seeth under the whole heaven." 4. Purity. The perfect clearness of the atmosphere above the region of the clouds is a fit emblem of the character of God. "He covereth Himself with light

as with a garment;" man can approach unto." is no darkness at all."

dwelling in light which no

"God is light, and in Him No thought of evil can taint

His nature. None of the moral imperfections which often deprive children of the help they need from earthly parents, can for a moment overshadow Him whom angels adore, saying, “Holy, holy, holy !"

5. Mystery. The measureless expanse of the heavens, the number and motions of the stars, the phenomena of meteors and comets, the mysteries of wind and weather these suggest our ignorance in reference to other departments of the Divine government. Order pervades the physical universe notwithstanding the mystery; and so we are sure that though "clouds and darkness are round about" our Father, yet "righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne."

;

"The ways of heaven are dark and intricate
Our understanding traces them in vain,
Lost and bewildered in the fruitless search,
Nor sees with how much art the windings run,
Nor where the regular confusion ends."

-ADDISON.

6. Constancy. Whatever the mystery, order and regularity are conspicuous with every advance of astronomical science. There is no hurrying and no delay. No efforts of man can interfere with the working of those forces, so sublime both in might and minuteness. And our Father is stedfast in His loving purposes. Earthly parents may be swayed by current opinions, the influence of others, their own caprice; they may become impatient, self-indulgent, or weary of forgiving and assisting; but our Father, because He is in heaven, like the unchanging stars,