him, and to give him assurance of victory. An angel appeared unto Zechariah, when ministering before the altar, to announce to him the birth of the illustrious forerunner of the Messiah. It was an angel who shewed to the Prophets Daniel and Zechariah, and to the Apostle John, the "things which should come upon the earth." An angel delivered Peter out of prison, and broke the chains with which he was bound. The angels carried the soul of Lazarus, when he died, into Abraham's bosom. An angel stood by Paul, to comfort him when about to be shipwrecked, and to declare to him that no harm should befal him or the persons with him. The angels are said to take charge of the servant of God, "lest at any time he should dash his foot against a stone." The angels also are employed as instruments in the hand of God, to defend the true Christian from Satan, and to defeat his evil machinations against the Church.

What encouraging views does this representation open to us! How, in the midst of perils or in the depths of solitudes, may we comfort ourselves with the idea of being surrounded by the heavenly host! What confidence may we place in their protection, if only we fear and serve God! Oh! when shall we duly estimate the blessings which accompany the Divine favour.

III. But I go on to consider the angels in another point of view. We may be said to have come to them as our models or examples.

"Wherein," it may be asked "can they be examples to us? When we propose a model to ourselves to imiitate, we take one like ourselves, who has the same object to pursue, and the same difficulties to overcome." Now, it is true, that between the angels and ourselves there is an infinite distance: yet, in many points, such a degree of correspondence prevails, that we may justly propose them as objects of our imitation. They are, for instance, examples to us in the objects of their contemplation, in their adoration of God, in the harmony they display, in the love they feel, and in the obe

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dience they render to the Divine command. Let us briefly regard these blessed spirits in each of these points of view.

1. First, then, consider the object of their contemplation.-Doubtless, the knowledge of beings, whose powers are so transcendant, must be various and extensive; extending, perhaps, to subjects of which we can form no conception. But it is remarkable, that they are not held up to our view as exploring the depths of science, but as searching into the counsels of Divine love. The mystery of Redemption occupies their attention. The sufferings of Christ, and the riches of his grace, they contemplate with rapture: "That now," says the Apostle, "unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God." And again, speaking of the prophecies which had been delivered of the grace of Christ, he adds, "which things the angels desired to look into." Thus, also are the cherubim represented in the temple as stooping over the Mercy-seat, astonished at the grace of God manifested to man, and adoring the great Author of it. In this employment then, let us imitate the angels. Can we have a nobler object of contemplation than theirs? Can we exhaust that glorious subject which instructs and amazes even them? Here is a subject really sublime and profound, fit to exercise the noblest faculties of the mind-the mercy, the love, the wisdom, the power of God, displayed in the great mystery of Redemption. Let us be ashamed to feel so little interested in contemplations, in which it is the highest dignity of angels to be engaged.

2. Next. The angels may be considered as our examples, in their adoration of God.--Man worships God, and so also do the angels of God: and how do they worship him? Is it a faint and languid, a cold and formal adoration which they offer up when the host of heaven fall prostrate before the throne, and cry with a loud voice, "Salvation, and glory, and honour, be un

to Him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever?" If then, we would learn how to adore God, let us consider their worship. In them we see perfect knowledge combined with perfect love, bending and stimulating every faculty of the soul to offer up a spiritual sacrifice worthy of the great Being to whom it is offered.

3. Again: the angels are examples also in harmony. -Could we look into heaven, we should see but one will, and, as it were but one soul, pervading the multitude of the heavenly host. The united song of the seraphim was, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of hosts: heaven and earth are full of his glory." On earth we meet together, it is true, in the house of God; we kneel at the same moment. we rise together, we listen together to the word of God; but we agree, perhaps, only in these outward circumstances. In the ears of the Lord of hosts, our melody is often discord; for he looks at the heart, and there he beholds corrupt imaginations, earthly affections, wandering thoughts, unhallowed passions, polluting the service, and jarring with the offering of our lips. But in heaven, as voice answers to voice, so the will meets the will, affections mingle with affections, hearts unite with hearts. All is concord, all harmony; and, as if it were the offering of one instead of myriads of spirits, the worship is one unbroken sacrifice and one uninterrupted song.

4. Next, They are models also in their love to God. How little soever the great Ruler of the universe may be honoured and beloved upon earth, there is no want of love to him in the courts above. Those blessed spirits know not a cold and lukewarm regard to their Creator and Benefactor. They love him, as we ought, with all their heart, and soul, and strength. Such is the ardour with which their affections kindle and ascend to God, but they are compared to "flames of fire;” -"who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." They are as "flames of fire," in the ardour and promptitude of their affections.

5. Thus also they are our models in obedience.— Our Lord himself has in this respect proposed them as examples to us, when he teaches us to pray that God's "will may be done on earth, as it is by the angels of heaven." In what manner, then, do they perform it? I answer, constantly, readily, universally, cheerfully. They have no choice, no will of their own. They choose the will of God. They alike obey and rejoice, whether they be sent to direct the affairs of an empire, or to bring a meal to Elijah in the desert. It is not the employment, but the Governor who appoints it, to whom they bear respect.

Thus, then, my brethren, you see what noble examples you are taught to propose to yourselves. Lift your eyes above the frail children of men around you. If you take the measure of your duty from the worms of the earth, who are as corrupt, as ignorant, as sordid as yourself, your conceptions must be gross, your practice low, your ideas of holiness itself mean and base; therefore raise your thoughts to another world, and behold its blessed inhabitants. These are displayed to you as examples by God himself. They are also placed before you as your associates for ever.

IV. But this brings me to the last head; in which I am to shew, that real Christians are come to the innumerable company of angels, as to their associates.

Here, upon earth, the Christian is an associate with angels by faith, by hope, by communion, by anticipation. But hereafter we, if we be indeed Christians, shall be more intimately united to them. They now rejoice in our penitence, because they see another name written in heaven. They anxiously await the hour of our death, that they may see another soul enter into glory; with them, so bright, so glorious, so excellent, has it pleased God of his infinite mercy to fix our eternal habitation. Oh, blessed society, from which all envy, and pride, and anger, and emulation, and strife, shall be for ever excluded! where there will be but one employment, one spirit, one heart, one object,-the

glory of our Father and their Father, of our God and their God!

There is one reflection with which I beg to close these observations. How awful is the thought, that every person, who now hears me, is united either to the devils or to the angels! To the eye of sense we seem to be all mingled together in one body; but, if the veil which conceals the invisible world were removed, we should discover a distinction as clear as will appear when the angels shall separate the wicked and the righteous. God and satan divide the world. Each has his angels subordinate to him. The "god of this world," emphatically and awfully so styled, on account of the number of subjects he at present possesses, "rules in the children of disobedience" by his evil spirits; while God sends his "angels to minister to them that are the heirs of salvation." And, according to the success of the good and evil angels, in moulding their respective charges to their own nature and character, the objects of their respective superintendance will rejoice with angels, or suffer with devils for ever. Thou, therefore, who openest thy mouth in blasphemy and cursing against God; thou who endeavourest to subvert the government of God, and to loosen the grasp which the obligations of his truth have upon the mind; thou who tramplest upon his laws; thou who slightest the ordinances of his grace, the worship of God, and the word of God:-is it not evident to whom thou art united? Art thou not doing the work of devils? Art thou not already associated with them? Art thou not "treasuring up for thyself wrath against the day of wrath?" Oh! let me conjure you to pause, to consider, to repent! Even for you there is hope. Behold the glorious company of angels. They desire to receive you: they stretch forth their hands to you. In their holy zeal to reclaim the wicked, and to enlarge their blessed society, they carry the everlasting Gospel to all nations. Will you renounce them, to have fellowship with devils? Oh, turn to God, that you may be added to this innumerable company! And you who, through