sumed that they have explored the whole circle of creation, which, though widely extended, is certainly limited, and capable of being surveyed by finite beings. They have always been friendly to God, and taken peculiar pleasure in contemplating the displays of his glory. They have always possessed great intellectual powers and capacities, which have enabled them to receive, retain and digest the most extensive, noble and sublime ideas of their Maker and his works. And being spirits, unencumbered by such gross bodies as we have, they have always been capable of passing from world to world, and from one part of the universe to another, with inconceivable ease and rapidity. We know of nothing to prevent their taking the circuit of creation, and examining all the creatures and works of God in every part of the universe. And they themselves seem to suggest this idea of their being thoroughly acquainted with all the works of God, when they devoutly celebrate the displays of his glory in this lower world. They say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts ;" that is, the Lord of the whole vast number of created beings, in every part of his extensive dominions. They add, "the whole earth is full of his glory." By this, they intimate that, after surveying heaven and hell and the whole empire of God, they discover greater displays of his glory in this world, than in any other. And supposing they have, for ages and ages, traversed the whole universe with a desire and design to discover the glory of the great Creator, there is good reason to believe that they have actually seen and learned more of God in this world, than in any other part of creation. For this has been the great theatre of action to all intelligent beings. Heaven has been a place of rest, and never been disturbed but once, or by one revolution, that is, by the apostacy of Lucifer and his legions. Hell has been a place of suffering, where no new revolution has ever happened. But this world has always been full of changes and revolutions of the most important and interesting nature, brought about by the agency of God, of angels and of men, who have exhibited their characters by the various parts they have performed upon the great stage of action. But whatever has been done in this world may be ultimately ascribed to God, who has employed all his intelligent creatures as instruments to carry into effect his own original purposes and designs. And no doubt the angels have viewed themselves and all other moral agents who have been acting their parts on earth, as mere instruments of fulfilling the eternal counsels of God. So that they have discovered his glory in all the great and small events which have been brought about, either by his hand alone, or by the concurrence of subordinate agents. But it is time to be a little more particular, and point out

some things that God has been doing in this world, which have given the angels of heaven higher ideas of his glory, than they could discover in any other part of the universe. And,

1. God has established such a connection between one creature and another in this world, as he has not, as we know, any where else established. Angels were all created at once, and stood independently of each other. And while some maintained their integrity and attachment to God, others renounced their allegiance, and rose in rebellion against their supreme Sovereign. But when God made man, he constituted an intimate and important connection between him and all that should proceed from him, to the end of time. And in consequence of this connection, he spread sin and misery through the whole world. This was a greater and more interesting event than any that had taken place in heaven, or hell. For there is reason to believe that the whole number of mankind, from the beginning to the end of the world, will far surpass the whole number of both good and bad angels. This connection between Adam and his posterity, and one man and another, by which their temporal and eternal interests are more or less suspended upon each other's conduct, is a signal display of God's wisdom and sovereignty, and entirely different from his treatment of any other of his intelligent creatures. And while this instance of the divine conduct has filled the whole human race with murmurs and complaints, it has afforded matter of admiration and praise to all the inhabitants of heaven.

2. The method which God has devised and adopted, to save the guilty and perishing children of men from deserved and endless destruction, has given a display of his glory which he has not given in any other part of the universe. Though some of the angels of light became sinners, and exposed themselves to endless ruin, and stood in perishing need of a Saviour, yet God did not provide a Saviour for them, but let them sink in guilt and misery without remedy. It was therefore a signal act of God's sovereign mercy, to provide a Saviour for the fallen race of Adam. And the steps which he took to prepare the way for the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of the Son of his love, were astonishing, as well as instructive, to all the heavenly hosts. As he meant to make a peculiar discovery of himself to principalities and powers above, by this gracious and glorious interposition in favor of the sinful children of men; so the angels have been, for ages, delightfully looking into and admiring the great plan of redemption, and have seen more of God in it, than they ever did see, or will see in any other parts of his works.

3. In this world, God has been constantly increasing the number of his moral subjects. There has been no increase of

either good or bad angels; but there has been an immense increase of mankind for nearly six thousand years. God has been every day bringing rational and immortal souls into existence here on earth. The birth of every immortal soul is an event highly interesting to angels, though often disregarded by those who are still more interested. But the perpetual increase of accountable and immortal beings must fill the minds of angels with enlarged and exalted views of Jehovah's kingdom. They know not to what vast extent the numbers of mankind may increase. One nation has been as numerous as the stars of heaven; and before the end of time, the human race may multiply beyond the present computation of men and angels. If the glory of a prince consists in the multitude of his subjects, then the glory of God must be displayed by the vast numbers of rational and immortal beings which he brings into existence in this part of his dominions. Here then angels are constantly learning more and more of God, in this growing part of his empire.

4. God subjects mankind to greater, more numerous and more surprising changes, than he does any other of his intelligent creatures. The angels of light have never been subjected to any great or peculiar changes since their creation; and evil angels have experienced but one great and dreadful change. But all mankind, from their birth to their death, are perpetually subject to great, sudden and unexpected changes. Their bodies, their minds, and all their external circumstances, are perpetually changing. What great changes take place in their bodies from infancy to manhood! And what great changes take place in their minds from infancy to childhood, from childhood to youth, from youth to manhood, from manhood to the meridian of life, from that period to the decline of life, and from that period to old age! How differently did a Newton or a Locke appear in these different stages of life! Similar changes pass over all the children of men, in all the various stages of their existence on earth. They appear like very different beings, according to the laws of their nature, in a very few years. But besides these regular and natural changes in their bodies and minds, they are subject to ten thousand unforeseen and unexpected changes. They are born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward. Their hopes and expectations are sometimes raised, and sometimes suddenly and entirely blasted. The rich become poor, and the poor become rich. The low are exalted, and the exalted abased. One day they are joyful, and another sorrowful. One day they lead, and another they are led. One day they are in health, and another they are in pain, sickness and distress. One day they are rejoicing with their friends around them, and another they are bereaved and drowned in tears. Such are the changes

constantly passing over individuals; but still greater changes and revolutions are frequently passing over whole nations and kingdoms; so that this whole world is a constant scene of changes and revolutions in the state and circumstances of mankind. And as all these are ordered and brought about by God, so he here gives peculiar displays of his glory, which are not to be seen in any other part of the universe.

5. The angels of God behold him here forming the moral characters of men for eternity. This is the peculiar work of God, who operates in the hearts of all the children of Adam. And the changes which he produces in the hearts of men by the special operations of his Spirit, afford great satisfaction and joy to all the benevolent spirits above. We read that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance. The angels of God probably know the very time when any sinner is called out of darkness into marvellous light, and translated out of the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of Christ. And this glorious act of divine sovereignty is no where to be seen but in this world, where God is carrying on his work of special and astonishing grace among his most guilty and ill deserving creatures. Though the angels of God have seen their fellow angels changed from holiness to sin in heaven, yet they have never seen any of their fellow creatures changed from sin to holiness any where but in this world; which is a distinction among equally guilty creatures that eminently displays the awful and glorious sovereignty of God. I may add,

6. The angels of God see him, in this world, continually calling off mankind from the stage of life and from the state of probation into their future and eternal states. Some he calls from temporal life to eternal death; and some he calls from temporal life to eternal life. Here the angels of God see him act a part that they never saw him act in heaven. And this is a most solemn and interesting part, in respect both to themselves, and to their fellow creatures whom they love as themselves. It is undoubtedly a very joyful thing to the guardian angels, to give up those, whom they have attended through life, into the hands of God, and accompany them to heaven. And it must be no less grievous to the angels who have the care of impenitent sinners, to quit their charge, and see them doomed to everlasting darkness and despair. The distinction. which they see God make in this world between the vessels of mercy and vessels of wrath, must give them the most clear and impressive sense of the sovereignty, of the mercy, of the faithfulness and of the justice of God. Such a distinction they never did see, and never will see him make, in any other parts of the universe. They, therefore, have seen, and will see more

of the glory of God in this, than in any other world. Here God has done, is doing and will do the greatest things, which display his greatest glory before the eyes of angels and men for ever.

IMPROVEMENT.

1. If angels discover more of the glory of God in this world than in any other part of the universe, then we may justly suppose that this world is, on the whole, better than it would have been if neither natural nor moral evil had ever entered into it. It is evident that the angels of heaven view it in this light. They were pleased with it when it was first created, and entirely free from sin and misery; but they have been better pleased with it since the introduction of natural and moral evil, having seen the steps God has taken to bring good out of evil. It is better fitted to display the glory of God now, than it was before the fall of man. It is more eligible to belong to the race of Adam since his apostacy, than it was before he apostatized. It is more eligible to live in this world, bad as it is, than to have lived in it while it was perfectly holy. Mankind now enjoy better opportunities and means of getting good, and of doing good, than they would have had if they had remained free from sin and misery. God intended, when he made the world, that it should be just such a world as it is. When he created Adam, he meant that he should sin, and spread sin and misery among all his posterity; and that his Son should suffer and die to save some of them from both sin and misery. God's original design in making this world, has never been defeated by the apostacy of Adam and the sins of his posterity. He sent Christ, not to mend the world, but to carry into effect his perfectly wise and holy and benevolent design of creating and redeeming love. He raised up this world to be a staging, upon which the most important transactions were to be done; and when they are done, he will take it down. The scenes which take place upon earth are vastly greater, more solemn and more instructive, than they could have been if sin and misery had not existed, the Son of God had not died, and sinners had not here been formed into vessels of mercy and vessels of wrath. God has always held a school here, in which he has been training up rational and immortal creatures for their future and eternal destination. God will reap a larger revenue of glory from this, than from any other world; and mankind will reap a larger portion of holiness and happiness than if they had lived in any other part of God's wide dominions. For, by living in this world, they have done more for God, and seen and learned more of God, than they would any