but such as is perfectly free from fault, impurity, littleness, and defect; such as is entirely noble, refined, and becoming so exalted and spotless a character? All heathen writers have stained even their Gods with great defects, and deformed them with gross crimes; and, wherever they have exhibited their Gods as acting, have filled up their history with weakness and depravity. The Angels of the Scriptures, on the contrary, are every where, by every writer, and in every attribute and act alike, pure and perfect. The only answer, which can be given, is, God directed the one class of writers, and human reason and imagination the other.

2dly. How wonderful, and how amiable, do these considerations exhibit the humility of Angels?

In the observations, which have been made, we have seen their character to be great and glorious without a parallel; their station exalted above that of all other created beings; and their employments the first in the kingdom of God. Yet they do not disdain, nor grudge, to minister to the wants and the relief, to the instruction and the comfort, of men; who, compared with them, are only worms of the dust.

A single fact will set this subject in a stronger light, than any train of general observations. Call up to your view, then, a choir of these illustrious beings, cheerfully leaving the glory of Heaven, and directing their flight to this forlorn and sinful earth, to accompany the departing spirit of poor, despised, forgotten Lazarus to the world of happiness; to point the way to that distant and delightful region; and to aid his trembling wing to the house and presence of his Father and his God. What monarch, what noble, what gentleman, what plain man, would, willingly, have even attended his funeral? Who would have received him, when alive, into his house; powerfully as his sufferings pleaded for charitable relief? Who, much more, would have consented to become his companion? Who, still more, would have acknowledged himself his friend? Yet all this, Angels did not disdain.

Let us take to ourselves shame and confusion of face, at the remembrance of our pride and haughtiness of heart. How often do we despise, neglect, insult. and trample under foot, those, who

in the sight of God, are far better than ourselves! For what do we despise them? Because, perhaps, their houses, their persons, their dress, their wealth, or their talents, are inferior to our own. We might, indeed, sometimes pity them for these reasons, and be justified. But where shall we find an excuse for despising them?

Nor is the meekness of Angels less contrasted to our wrath and revenge. They do not even bring railing accusations. Much less do they, like ourselves, indulge furious resentment, and seek insatiable revenge. There is not a single reason to believe, that they ever exercised, even in one instance, personal resentment against the basest and most guilty child of Adam; or a revengeful thought against the most depraved inhabitant of hell. No provocation is able to disturb the serenity of their minds. No cloud ever overcasts their smiles, or intercepts the clear sunshine of their benevolence.

3dly. How are the meek and humble virtues dignified by this great example!

These virtues are the constant character, the essential attributes, the peculiar glory, of Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, and Powers. But these virtues, and those in whom they are found on earth, man, who is a worm, and the son of man, who is but a worm, regards with contempt. Men glory in being proud, in being wrathful, in being revengeful; in being tyrants and oppressors, in being heroes and butchers. To men of these characters, statues are erected; nay, temples have been built, and altars smoked with victims. To them, the page of the historian and the harp of the poet are consecrated. To their praise, the sculptor bids the marble breathe, and the painter teaches his canvass to glow. They live in palaces, and are entombed in mausoleums. Shouts and hosannas follow them through life; and, at their death, nations re-echo the cries of lamentation, and kingdoms are covered with sackcloth and ashes. How strange is all this to the eye of Reason! Dives arrayed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day; while Lazarus lies at his gate under the naked heaven, coveting only to be fed with the crumbs, which fall from his table! Nay Pilate and Herod on the seat of judgment, and Christ on the cross!

In the invisible world, these things are wonderfully inverted.

Dives expires; but no Angels convey him to Abraham's bosom. There the meek and lowly virtues claim the esteem and love, and engross the kind offices, of beings, possessed of the highest wisdom and excellence; and obtain the everlasting favour of the infinite God. On these virtues, Angels smile with complacency; while fools and sinners regard them with hatred and scorn. But, if we would be like Angels; if we would secure their good-will; if we would be admitted to their glorious company; if we would share in their immortal blessings; if we would dwell in the house of their Father and our Father, of their God and our God; we must esteem the things which they esteem; love the things which they love; and do the things which they do. We must renounce the haughty, angry, revengeful character, which we are so pleased to assume; become meek and lowly of heart, like the divine Redeemer; and in the midst of provocations, however great, must be ready cheerfully to say, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!

4thly. What exalted views does this subject present to us of the future state of the Righteous!

In the Resurrection, says our SAVIOUR to the Sadducees, the children of God shall be wayzeko, equal to the Angels; or, perhaps more properly, they shall be like the Angels in attributes, station, and employments. Like the Angels, they will possess endless youth, activity, power, knowledge, and holiness; enjoy the same immortal happiness, dignity, and divine favour; be lovely, beautiful, and glorious, in the sight of God; and shine forth as the Sun in the kingdom of their Father. Like the Angels, shall they be sons, and kings, and priests, to God; and live, and reign, with him for ever and ever.

What a change must this be from the present weakness and guilt of man; from sluggishness and ignorance, decay and death, sin and misery! What a wonderful display of the boundless compassion of God, to raise us from such a depth to such a height! Can we hesitate to exclaim, "This is love passing all understanding." Who would not, for these divine blessings, renounce the pleasures of sin; and cheerfully bid adieu to all that avarice, ambition, and sensuality can boast? Who would not, with all the wise and good, cease at once from the sordid pursuits of sinners, VOL. I.

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and direct every view, desire, and effort, towards the state and character of Angels, and the attainment of the same residence, employments, happiness, and glory?

5thly. What sublime views does this subject furnish us of the greatness of Christ?

By him, says the text, were all these illustrious beings created, together with all their attributes, importance, and dignity. The character of every workman is seen, of course, in the nature of the work, which he has made. If this be insignificant and worthless; it exhibits nothing but the insignificance and worthlessness of the maker. If curious and excellent, if sublime and wonderful, it unfolds strongly, and certainly, his greatness, wisdom, and glory. Of what faculties are Angels the subjects? Of what intelligence, purity, power, loveliness, and elevation of mind? What then must be the perfections of Him, who contrived and formed Angels; who with a word called them into being; who preserves, informs, directs, controls, and blesses them for ever? Great and excellent as they are, they are exhibited as unclean in his sight, and as charged with folly before him. How amazing, then, must be the perfection of his character! how great; how wise; how good!

SERMON XX.

CREATION.

FALLEN ANGELS.

JUDE 6.

And the Angels, who kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved, in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.

In this passage, we have a concise, but very interesting, account of certain Angels, who once dwelt in Heaven. Created, at first, with all the excellencies of the Angelic nature, placed in circumstances of the highest honour, and enjoying the greatest happiness, they are here represented as having lost their cha racter, and forfeited their honour and happiness. The nature and allotments of these Angels furnish the subject, which next demands our attention in this System of discourses.

Before I enter on the consideration of this subject, it will be proper to take some notice of an opinion, which has, chiefly within the two past centuries, been adopted concerning it, and advanced with confidence by persons of various descriptions: an opinion, which, if true, would preclude the present discourse, as groundless and nugatory. It is this; that there are no such beings as Fallen Angels. Infidels have made the Scriptural account of these beings, a formal objection against the truth and credibility of the Scriptures. Not a small number of men, prø