fellow worshippers. (1 Cor. ii. 7.) Such is their position.--They are
related to the Lamb as his subjects by the Father's grant and command.
"He (Jesus) is gone into heaven ... angels ... being made subject unto
him." (1 Pet. iii. 22.) They are also related to the "elder" and
"animals," the members and ministers of the church. Said one of them to
John,--"I am thy fellow-servant." (ch. xix. 10.) Angels are not ashamed
to call them "fellow-servants," whom the Lord Jesus "is not ashamed to
call his brethren." (Heb. ii. 11.) As the "four animals" are nearer the
throne than the "elders," so are the "elders" nearer the throne than the
angels. These are ranged, in John's view, in the outside segment of the
circle. All the redeemed, ministry and membership, are "nearer of kin"
to the Lamb than angels are. "He took not on him the nature of angels,
but he took on him the seed of Abraham." (Heb. ii. 16.) All believers
are "members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones." (Eph. v. 30.)
He has highly advanced human nature, by taking it into real and
indissoluble union with his divine person. This is the special ground of
nearness and intimacy between Christ and his brethren. And O, how ought
we to emulate holy angels in adoring this precious Redeemer! "He loved
the church and gave himself for it," (Eph. v. 25,) and he loved and gave
himself for every member of the church. (Gal. ii. 20.)

The employments of this innumerable company of angels, besides
"ministering for them who shall be heirs of salvation," (Heb. i. 14;)
consist much in admiring contemplations of the glory of the "Lamb slain,
and in ascriptions of praise to him who is "worthy to receive power,"
etc. In this they cordially harmonize with the redeemed, whose
delightful exercise is "to show forth the praises of him who hath called
them out of darkness into his marvellous light:" (1 Pet. ii. 9:) and all
the honor, thus ascribed to the Mediator by both classes of worshippers,
is intended to terminate ultimately on the person of God the Father.