type. We infer, therefore, that there is no need of, nor can there be in the Body of CHRIST, the intervention of another party. If it were not so, we should Colos. ii. 10. not be complete in CHRIST, but we are complete in

S. John xvii.

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Him; and have been quickened together with Him Who is exalted far above all principality and power. The Church hath fellowship with the LORD JESUS, her risen and glorified Head in all things. The Church needeth not, neither receiveth aid from any other source. The glory (saith our LORD), which Thou hast given Me, I have given them. I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one.” Instead therefore of the Church receiving aid from without, or from any who do not belong to this body, whether angels, principalities or powers, it is they who learn from the Church; according as it is written,Eph. iii. 10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known By the Church the manifold wisdom of GOD." If the Church was ministered unto in spiritual things by angels; if to render her complete another party be needed, she would not be the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. But she is, and no other party hath, nor can have, any place in the body of CHRIST. And as this is the constitution and pre-eminence of the Church of CHRIST, as plainly stated in the Scriptures, we are constrained and bound to infer, that this Angel whom the LORD JESUS sent as a messenger to His servant John, was one holding a place in the same body and closely related to him in the bonds of CHRIST. And as he is evidently not a person like John in the flesh, it follows that he must be one of the departed saints who is thus used of the LORD. Moreover, as the Church of CHRIST is essentially ONE, both living and departed,

why should we not suppose that He can fulfil His functions of High Priest by the latter, as well as by ourselves, by the disembodied saints as by the embodied? for whether disembodied or not, we all live together with Him and for Him, and may be used of Him for the good of the whole body. Why should we not believe that we can be benefited by them as well as they by us? by their prayers, by their longing desire for and hope of the resurrection; when CHRIST shall clothe them with their house from heaven, and change our vile bodies, and fashion them like unto His own most glorious body? And being ONE BODY, do we not grow together, and advance together in a meetness for the resurrection, "increasing with the increase colos. ii. 19. of GOD?" If anything, are not our departed brethren rather privileged beyond us? Are they not present Phil. i. 21— with the LORD ? And if so, where is the difficulty that one of them should be sent to signify this revelation unto John? Is not the intercession of the Church carried on, not on earth only, but also in heaven, where JESUS Our forerunner is for us entered as the great High Priest of our profession? Does not the offering of incense within the most holy place represent the intercession of the Church in heaven, whilst that of the holy place represents that of the Church on earth? And if there be intercession, why not ministry by the Cherubim? and if some of the departed minister to the Church in heaven, may they not, if need be, and they are sent of the LORD, minister to us on earth?

Having made these observations in relation to the Angelic Messenger, whom our LORD sent to show these things unto John, let us next see what description he gave of himself to the Apostle. We are told that when John, in admiration of this messenger, who

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showed him these things, would have fallen down at Rev. xxii. 9. his feet to worship him, he said unto him, "See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant, and (one) of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book." However some may construe this passage, we believe the sense of it to be this-that the angel was John's fellow-servant, and of John's brethren the prophets, and one of the company of those who observed and kept the words of this book; that is, he was John's fellow-servant, and held the office of prophet, as a fellow-servant of the prophets. For the construction of the words evidently implies that he was associated with him in ministry, though not in the same office, but with him as being of the Prophets, who in the Church are associated with Apostles as one Eph. ii. 20. foundation, according as it is written, "And are built upon the foundation of Apostles and Prophets, Jesus CHRIST Himself being the chief corner stone." Hence it is said of the Cherubim within the most holy place, Ex. xxv. 20. that "their faces should look one to another." And thus the Church received the light and judgment of Ps. lxxx. 1. the LORD who dwelt between them. It is the office of the Prophet to bring light from the LORD by the HOLY GHOST, and it is the office of the Apostle to discern that light, and confirm it by the same Spirit. This foundation principle is not departed from in this instance, if the angel whom the LORD sent unto John the Apostle, was a Prophet. class,—that is, a Prophet in the Church of CHRIST, appears still more evident, from the expression which he uses to designate himself in another place under similar circumstances: for when the Apostle fell at his Rev. xix. 10. feet to worship him, he said, "See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant; and of thy brethren, that have

And that he was of this

the testimony of JESUS: worship GoD: for the testimony of JESUS is the spirit of prophecy." Here, instead of "thy brethren the Prophets," he says, "of thy brethren that have the testimony of JESUS ;" and this testimony is said to be "the spirit of prophecy." By comparing these two passages where the angel designates himself, in the one, as "the fellow-servant of John, and of his brethren the Prophets ;" and in the other, as "his fellow-servant, and of his brethren that have the spirit of prophecy;" we have sufficient evidence that this messenger, who was sent to signify the revelation unto John, was a Prophet, associated with the Apostolic Ministry in the Church. And this is no doubt plainly stated, to show forth a foundation principle in the Church of CHRIST.

The words dcóλOS TOU OOŨ used by the angel, are also, we submit, conclusive of themselves to his being one of the saints. For though angels are "ministering Heb. i. 14. spirits," (EITOUPуixà пνеúμатα) they are not called servants (Boúxo) which name is given to those only in the Apocalypse who are associated with, and ministry of CHRIST in the Church.

partakers of the GOD gave it unto

Him that He might show it unto His servants, and it was sent and signified unto John by one who designates himself his fellow-servant, and of his brethren the prophets, which the angels are not, as they are only used for external ministry, and have a charge only over the saints in their present condition to keep them in all their ways from outward danger and violence, watching over them and bearing them up in their hands, lest at any time they should dash their feet against a stone. They are indeed used ministerially in GOD'S providence which they watch over, and direct for good, under CHRIST, Who is now exalted above all princi

pality and power, but not used for ministry in the Church of CHRIST, as they were used under the law, which " was given by the disposition of angels," that being but a shadow of heavenly things, or as S. Paul calls it in his Epistle to the Galatians,-“ the rudiments of the world." The same distinction between earthly and heavenly things is made by the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews, where he shows the superiority and excellency of the one over the other, and the greater responsibility of those who reject Him that speaketh from heaven, in His servants whom He appoints to minister in His Name, saying, Heb.ii 1—4. ‹‹ Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward: how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the LORD, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him: GOD also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the HOLY GHOST, according to His own will." And this ministry of the LORD in His Church, is to prepare us for that universal dominion, inclusive of rule over angels, which He has called us to partake with Him in the age to come. Heb. i. 6- For unto the angels He hath not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak, but one in a certain place testifieth, saying, What is MAN that Thou art mindful of him, or the son of Man that Thou visitest him?" Under the former dispensation, GoD used angels to reveal His mind to the Prophets, because the SON of GOD had not become the Son of Man. But from the time that CHRIST became incar

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