They are styled Angels; that is, the immediate messengers of God. They are styled Thrones, Dominions, Authorities, Principalities, or Governments, and Powers; to denote that they sit upon thrones, exercise dominion, hold authority, preside in government, and are invested with the power necessary for these great purposes.

They are called Chief Princes, to indicate that they are the first order of rulers in the universe, under Him who has 'prepared his throne in the heavens, and whose kingdom ruleth over all.' They are called Sons of God, to teach us that they are beings nearly related to God in character, favour, place, and authority. They are called Morning Stars, to teach us the splendour and glory with which they outshine all other intelligent creatures. They are named Cherubim and Seraphim, to inform us that they are beings furnished with superior knowledge to discern, and with superior holiness to pursue, whatever is good and right, honourable to the Creator, and useful to his creatures.

All these names are descriptive either of the nature and attributes of these exalted beings, or of the stations and employments for which, by this nature, they are qualified.

2. The Scriptures, in many instances, exhibit them as thus employed.

(1) Angels are in the Scriptures declared to be extensively engaged in the immediate business of glorifying God, and celebrating his praise.

At the creation, the morning stars,' in the dawn of their being, surrounded their Maker during the progress of that great work; and when it was finished, in the celebration of that peculiarly divine Sabbath, observed, consecrated and blessed, by God himself, as an infinitely solemn and authoritative example to mankind, sung together, and shouted for joy.'

When the Lord Jesus Christ descended on Mount Sinai, to publish, amid thunders and lightnings, and a flame of devouring fire, his most holy law to the children of men, the chariots of God, even thousands of angels,'* attended him at this awful solemnity, and glorified him by their ministry in this sublime dispensation.

* Psalm lxviii. 17, 18.

When the same divine person became incarnate, Gabriel announced his birth to Zechariah and to Mary. An angel also proclaimed these glad tidings of great joy' to the shepherds of Bethlehem; and a multitude of the heavenly host praised God' on the same occasion, in the noblest hymn ever heard in this lower world; and sang, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.'

When he ascended on high, and led captivity captive,' having finished the work of Redemption, and triumphed over all his enemies; the same exalted beings, with renewed transport and adoration, surrounded him with the same magnificent attendance as at Sinai, singing, as he approached the heaven of heavens, Lift up your heads, oh ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors: and the King of glory shall come in.'

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At the end of this earthly system, when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead,' and blot out from under heaven this world of iniquity and rebellion; an archangel preceding him, will call the dead out of their graves; while the multitude of the heavenly host will shout to the universe the awful wonders of the final day, and subjoin, to all its amazing transactions, their solemn Amen.

In the heaven of heavens, the four Living Ones 'rest not, day and night, saying Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty; who was, and who is, and who is to come.' And I beheld,' says St. John, and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne, and the Living Ones, and the Elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and wisdom, and riches, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.'

(2) Angels are employed in studying the works of God, and in learning from them his perfections.

'Who created all things,' says St. Paul, by Jesus Christ; to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.' Which things,' says St. Peter,' the an

* Psalm lxviii. 17, 18, compared with Ephes. iv. 8. See also, Psalm xxiv:

gels desire to look into:' or more literally, Into which things angels earnestly desire to look with the deepest attention.' The original word, napaxva, denotes the action of stooping down to inspect minutely, and pry critically into an object of investigation.

In the former of these passages we are presented with one great end of the creation of all things; viz. the disclosure of the manifold wisdom of God,' in his dispensations to his 'church, unto principalities and powers in heavenly places.' As this disclosure was one great end of the creation of all things, so it is evident that angels were created with the special design, that they should attain the knowledge which it conveys. In the second of these passages we are taught, that the disposition of angels is perfectly accordant with this design, and that they earnestly desire' to investigate, and are therefore unceasingly employed in investigating those things, for the knowledge of which they were especially created.

For this great purpose, these glorious beings are in the most eminent manner fitted by all their other employments, their wonderful attributes, and their exalted station. Particularly, in their employments as Messengers of God, in which they visit, not only this world, but the Oupania of the Scriptures, the innumerable regions of the heavens; they are furnished with the most ample and perfect opportunities of understanding the endless multitude, and the astonishing nature, of the works of creation and providence. Throughout these

incomprehensible tracts, there is every reason to believe, that the same unceasing diversity is continually pursued in all the divine works, which prevails so perfectly in this world. The nature, attributes, and real importance of all things, are learned, not by inspection only, but also, in an extensive degree, by comparison. The relations which they bear to each other, can be known in no other manner: and the knowledge of these is a most extensive and important part of all that is known. From the advantage furnished him, of beholding many objects, and making numerous and accurate comparisons between them, a rational traveller who has visited many countries, is universally acknowledged, not only to possess a more enlarged knowledge of the world than other men, but also to be a more sound and thorough judge of the things with which he is acquainted. Angels visit distant worlds, probably with

more ease and expedition than men the towns in their neighbourhood; and compare systems with more perfect comprehension and accuracy, than we, states and kingdoms. At the same time their strong and unmingled relish for all the objects of their contemplation, the unwearied and undiminished vigour of their minds, and the length of years through which they have been employed in this illustrious pursuit, have on the one hand given it the peculiar power of habit, and on the other increased, beyond calculation, the pleasure which it originally and naturally yields. Man, by the limited nature of his powers, is almost of course obliged, whenever he studies, to confine himself to study; and whenever he acts, to action. Angels, by their superior energy, seem fitted to pursue both courses at once; and to be able to study and act without hindrance, confusion, or any other disadvantage.

3) Angels are employed in executing the judgments of God upon this world.

The first judgment upon man, which was excluding him from paradise, appears to have been committed to the execution of these ministering spirits. In the same manner, they were the immediate instruments of inflicting the vengeance of God on the Israelites, on the army of Sennacherib, on Nebuchadnezzar, and on Herod. In the same manner also they are exhibited, in the Revelation of St. John, as pouring out the vials of divine wrath upon the nations of this guilty world, and especially upon the Antichristian Hierarchy, as the peculiar ministers of the justice of God. To us, with our limited views and strong partialities, this office may seem undesirable, and a diminution of that perfect felicity which I have attributed to this distinguished order of beings. The decision however will easily appear to be unfounded, if we remember that they possess an entire and unchangeable confidence in God, and in the perfect rectitude of all his dispensations; and in innumerable instances, a clear comprehension of the nature and import of the dispensations themselves; the wisdom and goodness with which they are brought to pass, and the valuable and glorious ends which they are intended to accomplish. In exact accordance with this view of the subject is sung in heaven, the song of Moses and the Lamb. works, Lord God Almighty. thou King of saints.

Great and marvellous are thy Just and true are thy ways, Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and

glorify thy name? For thou only art holy; for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.'

(4) Angels are also employed in ministering blessings to the children of God in this world.

'Are they not all ministering spirits,' says St. Paul, ‘sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation?' In this passage we are plainly taught, that ministering to the saints is a standing employment of angels, throughout the ages of time. Accordingly, they are exhibited in Jacob's vision of the ladder as 'ascending and descending,' from heaven to earth, and from earth to heaven continually, in the discharge of this great duty. According to this declaration also, we are furnished by the Scriptures with numerous examples of their actual ministry to the children of God. Thus Angels delivered Lot from Sodom, Jacob from Esau, Daniel from the lions, his three companions from the fiery furnace, Peter from Herod and the Jewish Sanhedrim, and the nation of the Israelites, successively, from the Egyptians, Canaanites, and Assyrians. Thus they conducted Lot, Abraham, and the Israelites, in seasons of great difficulty and danger, to places and circumstances of safety and peace. Thus they conducted Gideon to the destruction of the Midianites, Joseph and Mary to Egypt, Philip to the Eunuch, and Cornelius to Peter, to the knowledge of the gospel through him, and to the salvation of himself, his family, and his friends. Thus Angels instructed Abraham, Joshua, Gideon, David, Elijah, Daniel, Zechariah the prophet, Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, and their fellow-disciples. Thus they comforted Jacob at the approach of Esau, Daniel in his peculiar sorrows and dangers, Zechariah in the sufferings of his nation, Joseph and Mary in their perplexities, Christ in his agony, the Apostles and their companions after his resurrection, Paul immediately before his shipwreck, and the Church universally, by the testimony and instruction given in the Revelation of St. John.

Generally, the Scriptures inform us, especially in the visions of Ezekiel, Daniel, and John, that they are employed in executing various, great, and wonderful purposes of divine providence. Here we behold them controlling evil spirits, wielding the elements of this world, producing, directing, and