the standing symbol of Intelligence; and denotes, here, the superior possession of this attribute by those, to whom it is ascribed. Angels were originally formed with an entire freedom from sin, the only source of prejudice, and the chief source of error. Their faculties were, at first, such as become the Morning stars of the highest Heavens; the Sons of God, intended to surround the throne of JEHOVAH, and to hold the chief places of power, distinction, and glory, in his eternal kingdom. They were such, as to become those, to whom, in the beginning,* was given by God himself the name Cherub, or fulness of knowledge. They were such, in a word, as to become their other transcendent attributes of power, youth, and activity; and the exalted stations, which they were destined to fill for ever.

With the nature, and extent, of their faculties, has the place of their residence in this respect exactly accorded. They have ever dwelt in the world, where truth reigns without opposition; where knowledge is the universal state and character; where all mysteries are continually disclosed; and where the nature and propriety of both the means, and the ends, of providence are, more than in any part of the universe, unfolded. There, day and night for six thousand years, they have been unceasingly employed in studying the works of God. Weariness and decay they know not. Strength of understanding in them is incapable of being impaired. Every object of investigation is to them delightful; and every faculty, by its nature, susceptible of improvement. What, then, must be the extent of their attainments at the present time?

Beyond this, the favour of God is extended to them in a degree, incomprehensible by such minds as ours. To communicate just, and extensive, views of his works to these glorious beings, is declared to be his especial intent in the creation of all things by Jesus Christ; and peculiarly his manifold wisdom in his dispensations to the Church. No communication on his part, and no attainment on theirs, can be imagined too great for this divine purpose, or the goodness by which it was formed.

In Matthew xxiv. 36, our Saviour declares, that of that day, viz. the day of his coming to the destruction of Jerusalem, knoweth no one, not even the Angels of heaven. This appeal, if we understand the passage in the common acceptation, can have force, and perti-: 'nence, only on the supposition, that nothing, which is known, of the works and ways of God, is hidden from Angels; and is, therefore, a complete proof of the entire superiority of their intellectual nature, and attainments, to those of any other created being.

5thly. Angels are possessed of consummate Holiness.

The evidence of this truth is so multiform, and so abundant, in the Scriptures, that no particular proof, or illustration, seems to be necessary. Their joy and praise at the Creation, their divine trans

* See Gen. iii. 24.

+ See Eph. iii. 9, 10.

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port at the birth of the Redeemer and the union of glory to God in the highest, and good-will towards men, disclosed by that wonderful event, and their noble and disinterested exultation in the repentance of ruined sinners, are all sublime manifestations of the unalloyed holiness, of the pre-eminent beauty of mind, possessed by this dignified order of beings. The name Seraphim, or burning ones, is also, a most forcible representation of this exalted character. In this name, the mind of an angel is exhibited as enkindled with one intense and eternal flame of divine love, burning with a clear, unceasing, perpetual ardency and splendour. Such a love, we cannot but see, is entirely suited to the character of those, who stand before God, dwell in his house, enjoy his favour, and exercise the glorious offices of his kingdom. In accordance with this character, the four Living Ones, who are exhibited as Representatives of the Angelic host in the heavens, manifest their exalted love to the great Author of their blessings, by celebrating, with an unceasing voice, his infinite holiness and excellency, throughout the neverending progress of their being. In this glorious employment, also, all the innumerable company of Angels are declared to unite with them, to be animated by the same perfect character, and to harmonize with them in their hearts, as well as in their songs.

REMARKS.

1st. How delightful an object of contemplation is this glorious Order of beings!

All things, pertaining to this illustrious subject, are cheering, luminous, animating, and sublime. The very names, assigned to Angels by their Creator, convey to us ideas pre-eminently pleasing, fitted to captivate the heart, and exalt the imagination; ideas only cheerful, refined, and noble; ideas, which dispel gloom, banish despondency, enliven hope, and awaken sincere and unmingled joy. They are Living Ones; beings, in whom life is inherent and instinctive; who sprang up under the quickening influence of the Sun of Righteousness, beneath the morning of everlasting day; who rose, expanded, and blossomed, in the uncreated beam, on the banks of the river of life, and were nourished by the waters of immortality. They are Spirits; winged with activity, and informed with power, which no labour wearies, and no duration impairs : their faculties always fresh and young; their exertions unceasing and wonderful; and their destination noble and delightful, without example, and without end. They are Burning Ones, glowing with a pure and serene, an intense and immortal, flame of divine love; returning, without ceasing, the light and warmth, which they have received from the great central Sun of the Universe; reflecting with supreme beauty the image of that divine Luminary; and universally glorious, although differing from each other in glory.

The place, in which they dwell, is perfectly suited to their il lustrious character. It is no other than the Heaven of Heavens

the first and best world, that will ever be created; the place, where God himself delights peculiarly to dwell; the house, where virtue, peace, and joy, dwelt in the beginning, and will dwell for ever; the throne of boundless dominion; the parent city of the great empire of JEHOVAH; the happy region, where all things are verdant with life, and blossom with immortality.

The Station, which they hold, is of the same cheerful and elevated nature. It is the first station, allotted to created existence. These sublime Intelligences, are the immediate attendants of JEHOVAH; the nobles and princes of the Universe. All their employments, all their allotments, are honourable and happy; all their destiny, dignified and divine.

Angels, then, present us with an object of contemplation, replenished with inherent light, beauty, and greatness, with nothing to tarnish, nothing to impair, its lustre; nothing to alloy the pleasure of the beholder: a vivid landscape, formed of all the fine varieties of novelty and greatness, without one misshapen, decayed, or lifeless object, to lessen its perfection: a morning of the spring, without a cloud to overcast it: a sun, without a spot, shining orly with the various colours of unmingled light.

When we cast our eyes on this charming and transporting scene, we instinctively ask, What is the source of this unrivalled assemblage, this unmixed group of objects so delightful? The answer is at hand. Holiness is the well-spring, whence all these streams of beauty and pleasure are derived. If a single doubt arises in our minds concerning this truth, it may be removed in a moment. Fallen Angels were once possessed of all these illustrious attributes, and held the exalted station, which is now exclusively enjoyed by their fellows. Fallen Angels are still possessed in an eminent degree of power, life, activity, and knowledge; but they yielded up their holiness, when they revolted from their Maker; and changed for ever their character, and their destiny, by sinning against God. Sin converted them into Fiends, and made Hell their habitation. From Sin, that dark and dreadful word derives all its gloom, sorrow, and despair. Sin ushered it into being; raised its prison walls; barred its iron gates; shrouded its desolate regions in the blackness of darkness; kindled the fires, by which it is gloomily enlightened, and awakened all the cries, and groans, and curses, and blasphemies, which echo through its regions of sorrow. Sin changed Angels, once surrounding the throne, and harmonizing in the praise of God, into liars, accusers, calumniators, adversaries, and destroyers. How amazing and dreadful the change! How loathsome, how detestable, the spirit, by which it was accomplished!

2dly. How different from these glorious and unspotted beings are Men!

Numerous are the ways, in which we may, if we please, derive instruction, improvement, and delight, from the contemplation of

this illustrious race of beings. A comparison of ourselves with them, and of our circumstances with theirs, will particularly teach us our own littleness and depravity; and happily, as well as naturally, prepare us for humility and reformation.

Man is of the lowest order of Intelligent beings; kindred to animals; often raised very little above their level; possessed in the humblest degree of rational attributes; the subject of extreme weakness, sluggishness, and ignorance; hastening with a rapid tendency to decay, old age, and death; without love to God, or his fellow-men; depraved throughout with sin; and voluntarily yielded by himself to final perdition.

What an affecting contrast is here presented to our view! Angels so great, virtuous, and happy: Man so little, sinful, and miserable. How deeply humbled ought we to be by the sight of this picture. presenting so just, as well as forcible, a delineation of our real character! How ashamed ought we to be of our impiety, deceit, injustice, unkindness, pride, and vanity! For in this humble state, we are vain: possessed of this guilty character, we are proud. Of what are we proud? Of what are we vain? Of our sin, our disgrace, our folly, our frailty, our diseases, or our death? What beside these things can we find to excite our pride?

Yet we are proud and vain: wonderfully proud; deplorably vain. We are proud of a body fattening for worms, and pampered for corruption and the grave; of clothes, which we borrow from the sheep and the silk-worm; of endowments, given us by God; of wealth, amassed by fraud and avarice; and of stations, conferred by base favouritism, and popular frenzy. Nay, we are proud of profaneness, cursing, and blasphemy. We boast of bargains, made only by the cunning of fraud, or the violence of oppression. We glory in the infernal arts and infamous success of seduction. We murder our fellow-creatures in duels, and wreathe our temples with garlands dyed in blood. We slaughter thousands and millions in war; plant laurels amid the bones, and nourish them with the blood, of those, whom we have destroyed. We raise our thrones on the cemetery of buried nations; and mistake the groans and shrieks of surviving parents, widows, and orphans, for the trumpet of Fame. In a word, all that ought to humble us in the dust, all that ought to clothe us in sackcloth, and cover us with ashes, all that blackens us with disgrace and guilt, all that makes us deformed and loathsome in the sight of God, is converted by us into the means of pride and exultation!

Angels, although so greatly exalted above men, are neither proud, nor vain. The plain reason is, they are not sinful. Pride and Vanity are derived from sin only; or rather sin is the root and stem, of bitterness, of which they are the branches. To be proud, or vain, then, is not to resemble the holy Angels, but the fallen ones. Can this resemblance flatter any man? a resemblance to the worst and most odious of all the creatures of God? Who would

not eagerly drop this wretched likeness, this tattered garb of guilt and shame, assume a resemblance to the glorious beings, whom we have been contemplating, and adorn himself with the unspotted, spiritual, and never-fading robe of humility and righteousness? The faith, repentance, and love, of the Gospel, are the fine linen of the saints, wrought, and made white, in the heavens; and with this best robe, in his father's house, every repenting and returning prodigal will be clothed.

3dly. What a happy change would be accomplished in this world, if men would assume the spirit and conduct of Angels!

Angels never indulge sloth, deceit, wrath, malice, envy, or impiety. Angels never cheat, corrupt, betray, nor oppress. Angels never profane the name of God, perjure themselves, ridicule sacred things, insult the Redeemer, resist the Holy Ghost, nor deny the being, the perfections, the word, or the government, of God. Angels never consume their time in idle amusements, or guilty pleasures; never slander each other, never quarrel; never make wars; and never desire, nor plunder each other's blessings. How miserable have men, by all this conduct, rendered this unhappy world! With what a prodigal hand do we waste the blessings, given to us by God; pervert our talents, and frustrate the end of our being. With what rapacity and violence do we plunder the blessings, and destroy the lives, of our fellow-creatures? In an existence, naturally accompanied by many evils, we are impatient to create and multiply sufferings; to lessen the good, which God has given; to shorten the period of life, already so little; and to surround it with miseries of our own creation. In this manner, and by ourselves, the evils which we suffer have been immensely multiplied; and the world, destined for our habitation, which, if we were pious, just, sincere, and kind, would be a comfortable residence, has been converted into a region of sorrow and mourning. Private dwellings, the proper mansions of peace and love, have been disturbed by domestic broils: the father contending against his son, and the son against his father; the mother with parental unkindness provoking her daughter to wrath, and the daughter, with filial impiety, revolting from her mother: Brethren have become strangers to each other; and for such a length of time, and with such violence of passion, that they have been harder to be won than the bars of a castle. Neighbourhoods have been distracted with divisions and contentions; and nations rent asunder by faction and discord. Empires have become fields of war and slaughter; and the earth has been changed into a vast receptacle of misery and ruin. All this wretchedness is the consequence of sin; its immediate product; its genuine offspring. Should we, then, drop this character; would not our consciences be more serene, our lives more pleasant, our famiilies more harmonious, and the world more quiet and happy?

The mighty difference between Heaven and earth, angels and men, lies in holiness and sin. Angels are holy; we are sinful: