known? Not to know our most familiar friends in heaven is a supposition altogether irreconcileable with this declaration of the apostle.

In the intermediate state "the soul of the rich man recognised that of Lazarus: he remembered the life which he had led, and the good things which he had enjoyed; and he felt alarm for the fate of his surviving brethren. The words of our Saviour upon the cross seem to imply that the soul of the penitent thief would recognise the soul of the Redeemer, when they both were together in paradise.”

At the time of our Saviour's transfiguration on the mount, when he appeared in his matchless glory, Moses and Elias also appeared, as is generally supposed, in their glorified bodies; with such bodies as all the saints in light will hereafter be clothed. If so, then their being ' known by those apostles who were with our

* Burton's Works, vol. i. pp. 121, 128. Oxford Ed.

Lord at the time, is a clear intimation that the saints will know each other in a future state. Moses had been dead fifteen hundred years, at the time this event transpired, and Elijah had been translated to heaven nearly a thousand years before; and yet they are made known to Peter, James, and John; and we see no reason why they should not be recognised in heaven, by these same apostles-and if by them, by others also-as well as upon earth.

Christ tells his apostles that, as a reward for their fidelity and zeal, they shall receive a superior degree of glory in his heavenly kingdom, which he represents by their sitting "upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."* He speaks of those who "shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God;"† and of others who shall "come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and

*Matt. xix. 28.

† Luke xiii. 28.

Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven;" and to the penitent thief he says-" This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." As if he had said "Thy body is perishing; but thy soul shall retain its life, its activity, its consciousness; and being received into the paradise of God, shall see and know its Redeemer even as it is seen and known of him." These several expressions intimate, if they do not prove, that the saints will recognise, not only the Saviour in his glorified human nature, but his twelve apostles also, in their exaltation, whatever it may be ;-and that they will be able to distinguish "Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets;"-and if these, then why not all the others of "the general assembly of the church of the first born whose names are written in heaven," and our immediate friends among the number?

There are two passages in St. Paul's Epistles, which seem to place this subject beyond all

*Matt, viii. 11.

† Luke xxiii, 43,

question. They prove, at least, "that St. Paul anticipated on the last day a personal knowledge of those on his part, and a personal reunion with them, with whom he had been connected in this life by the ties of pastoral offices and kind affection."* To the Colossians he expresses the anxious desire of being able, in the day of Christ, to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus ;"+-and to the Thessalonians he thus writes" For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy." Here, this great apostle evidently anticipates with delight the time, when he should meet these persons before the throne, and " present" them to the Lord Jesus, "as the seals," to borrow the language of the pious Doddridge, "which God had been pleased to set to his labours, and as amiable friends, in whose con

* Mant's Happiness of the Blessed, p. 82. 1 Thess. ii. 19, 20.

† Col. i. 27-29.

verse and love he hoped to be for ever happy." On this latter text, the learned Dr. Macknight thus beautifully remarks:-"The manner in which the Apostle speaks of the Thessalonians, shows that he expected to know his converts at the day of judgment. If so, we may hope to know our relations and friends then. And, as there is no reason to think that in the future life we shall lose those natural and social affections which constitute so great a part of our present enjoyment, may we not expect that these affections, purified from every thing animal and terrestrial, will be a source of our happiness in that life likewise? It must be remembered, however, that in the other world we shall love one another, not so much on account of the relation and friendship which formerly subsisted between us, as on account of the knowledge and virtue which we possess. For among rational beings, whose affections will all be suited to the high state of moral and intellectual perfection, to which they shall be