luted world, in the ravages of the storm, the earthquake, and the volcano, and the more extensive evils of pestilence and famine!

5thly. How miserable must be the condition of those, who have no interest in the favour of God!

God is the source of all the good, which is found, or will ever be found, in the Universe. Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above; and cometh down from the FATHER of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Wherever, then, he refuses to give, it is certain, that no enjoyment can be found. How dreadful, of course, how solitary, how friendless, how forlorn, must the situation of a creature be, if he were banished for ever from the presence, favour, and love, of God! Were the Sun, as the Heathen supposed, an intelligent being, capable of being pleased or displeased, and of communicating and withholding his light and warmth at pleasure; how lonely, dark, and wretched, would be the condition of men, if he should withdraw his beams from this world, and permit them never more to shine! of men consigned to everlasting night, and everlasting winter; who should yet live, in this cold and dreary solitude, and know, and feel, their wretched condition: while at the same time they also knew, that other favoured and happy beings, in all other respects resembling themselves, were in full possession of the life-giving influence, and cheering splendour, of this glorious luminary. God is the Sun of the intelligent and immortal world. Wherever he shines, there is light, and peace, and hope, and joy: wherever he withdraws his - beams, all is darkness and desolation for ever.

On this subject, I am apprehensive, that Christians do not meditate, nor converse, nor Ministers preach, so frequently and so fervently, as their interest, and their duty, plainly require. The Apostles have dwelt often, and extensively, on the prospects, the joys, and the glories, of Heaven. In this respect they are obviously patterns to all succeeding Preachers. Christians are in the Scriptures often invited to meditate on heavenly things; and presented with the most sublime, alluring, and delightful, objects of a heavenly nature, to engage them in such meditations. They are directed, also, to set their affections on things above; commanded to have their conversation in heaven, and not on the earth; and reminded that in a humble and figurative sense, they are already come to the New Jerusalem, and to the glorious beings by whom it is inhabited, by entering the Church of God in the present world. All these precepts they are bound implicitly to obey.

When we approach the table of Christ, we are by the strongest motives compelled to remember, that the exalted end of his Mediation was to open this happy world for the reception of his followers; an end, purchased with tears, and blood. This end is the most illustrious, and delightful, of which we can form a conception: And the means, by which it has been accomplished, are the most VOL. I.

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sublime display of infinite good-will, which the Universe has ever beheld.

When Christians approach the table of their communion, they approach it, to commemorate their Saviour. What do they commemorate? His life, and death, and resurrection, and exaltation: a life of humiliation, suffering, and sorrow; a death of shame, and agony; a resurrection to endless life; an exaltation to infinite glory. Whither has he gone? To Heaven. Whither are they going? To the same happy world. In my Father's house, said this Divine Person, as he was advancing near to the grave, are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Can Christians, then, fail to look often to that delightful world, where their Saviour dwells, and where they are all finally to be assembled in his presence? Will not the remembrance of the fulness of joy, the pleasures which flow for ever in this region of Immortality, awaken in the most ardent manner, their admiration, their love, their gratitude, and their praise, to Him, who formed it in the beginning; who stored it with glory, life, and joy; who ascended the cross, that he might open its everlasting doors, for their admission to its infinite blessings.

To enhance all these views and affections, let them remember also, that in the same wonderful manner he redeemed them from the deplorable character of sin, and the miseries of perdition. That Divine Spirit, who renews them in righteousness, and true holiness, unto every good work, entered upon this benevolent office, only in consequence of the Mediation of Christ. But for this Mediation, no child of Adam would ever have been renewed. Sin unmingled, unrestrained, and endless, would have prevailed throughout all the nations of men, and all the ages of time. The way to Heaven would have been unknown. The only path from this world would have gone down to the chambers of death.

In how interesting a manner, then, is heaven now brought before our eyes, as the end of the great sacrifice of the Cross! Here Christ dies again, in a figure pre-eminently affecting; and shows us his broken body, and bleeding wounds, as the price which he paid to procure for us an inheritance in the kingdom prepared for ⚫ his followers before the foundations of the world. No other hand could have opened the gates of life. No other Atonement could have expiated our sins. No other means could have procured the sanctification of our Souls by the Spirit of grace; and thus fitted us to enjoy the blessings of heaven, and made them blessings to us. But for him, the best of men would have gone down to the world of wo. By him, every good man will be raised to the glory, which he had with the Father before ever the world was.

SERMON XVIII.

CREATION.-ANGELS.

COLLOSSIANS i. 16.-For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Prin: cipalities, or Powers: all things were created by him and for him.

IN my last discourse, I began the examination of the works of God, with some considerations on the Heavens. I shall now pursue the same subject, in several observations concerning those beings, who were originally inhabitants of the highest heavens.

As all our knowledge concerning this subject is derived from the Scriptures, I shall confine myself in this discussion to the information, which they communicate; reserving such views, as Reason has been able to form of it, to the discourse, which I propose to devote to a consideration of the existence and character of Fallen Angels.

In the text it is asserted, that Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, and Powers; names, which are fairly supposed to denote different orders of the Angelic host, and to indicate, in the words of St. Paul, things in heaven; were created by Jesus Christ, for his own use and purposes. Among other things, conveyed to us by this assertion, the following Doctrine is evidently one:

That the Angels are a part of the Creation of God.

It is a fact worthy of observation, that the Scriptures teach us scarcely any thing concerning any of the worlds, included under the general name of heavens, except the supreme Heaven. The reason is, I think, not difficult to be divined. With other heavenly worlds, we have no direct concern. Whatever knowledge, therefore, we might be supposed to attain about them, or their inhabitants, would be a mere gratification of curiosity, and incapable of being directed to any valuable end. Under the influence of this powerful principle, we should in all probability have been led away by such communications, if they had been made, from those things, which we need, and ought, to know. Few affections of the human mind have more influence over its conduct, than curiosity. Well-directed, and carefully kept within proper bounds, it is eminently profitable to man, by prompting him unceasingly to useful inquiries, and improvements in knowledge; but, when suffered to wander without restraint, it conducts to mere gratification, and demands the soul of real good.

But with the Heaven of Heavens, we have a continual and most important concern. This glorious and delightful world is the place, to which all our ultimate views are directed by our Maker;

the home, to which he invites us to look, as our final rest from every trouble; and the final seat of all the enjoyment, which we are capable of attaining. With its inhabitants, we shall, if we are wise, become familiarly acquainted, and intimately united; and shall live in the midst of them, through ages which cannot end. Of this world, therefore, and those who dwell in it, we need information, various and extensive. Accordingly, God has in the Scriptures, to a considerable extent, opened heaven to our view; and furnished us, in many particulars, with an account of the happy beings, who inhabit it; of the Rank, or Station, which they hold in his great kingdom; the Attributes, of which they are possessed; and the Employments, to which they are devoted. Under these three heads, I propose to consider them, at the present time. To an audience, possessed of so many advantages for estimating the comparative importance of subjects of contemplation, and particularly the comparative worth of Intelligent beings, it is reasonably hoped, that a subject of such inherent dignity cannot be indifferent. Especially, as this subject is scarcely at all introduced into the Desk, and is but too unfrequently, a topic of private contemplation; and, as it will of course have in some degree the advantage of novelty, as well as of nobleness; it ought to be expected to gain, at least, the transient attention, which such a discussion demands.

That Angels are the beings, intended by the phraseology of the text, will not be questioned. The four titles, by which they are here denoted, probably indicate four different orders of these heavenly beings; or, perhaps, may be used as a general representation of all the orders, into which they are divided. Beside the general name of Angels, or Messengers, derived from their peculiar employment, they are called in the Scriptures by the following: Opovo, Thrones; Kugiorntes, Dominions; Agya, Principalities, or Governments; Auvausis, Powers; Eğria, Authorities; Zwa, Living Ones; Cherubim, Knowing Ones, or those in whom is fulness of knowledge; Seraphim, or burning ones; Elohim, Gods; beside the name of Princes, used by the Angel in Dan. x. 13, and probably equivalent to one of the five first appellations. All these names, as will be evident to the slightest attention, are plainly, and strongly, significant of their great importance. With the greatest probability, however, they are names, very imperfectly descriptive of their natures; although, without a doubt, they are the most suitable which human language contains. As words are, of necessity, expressive of such ideas as those who use them possess; and as men, from a want of correspondence with Angels, have no direct, or original, ideas, concerning them; it is plain, that all words, chosen from human language, to describe the nature of these celestial beings, must exhibit them very inadequately and imperfectly. Still, these names are very forcible declarations of their supreme distinction among created Intelligences, and the important character, which they hold in the Universe.

It is scarcely necessary to remark, that the names given to Angels in the text, are used metonymically: the adjunct being all along chosen to denote the subject; or the thing possessed, the possessor. Thus Thrones are substituted for those who sit on them; Dominions and Principalities, for those who hold them; and Powers and Authorities, for those by whom they are exercised. It ought to be observed, that Angels are also called Morning Stars, to denote their peculiar beauty and splendour of character; and not improbably as Harbingers of Christ, the SUN of Righteousness and Sons of God, to teach us, that they are nearly connected with the Creator, dwell in his house as children, and enjoy his parental presence, care, and love.

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From all these observations, united, it is evident, that Angels are possessed of pre-eminent dignity, importance, and distinction, in the divine kingdom: since all these names are given to them by God himself; and are used, therefore, to indicate their true and proper character. This character I shall now attempt summarily to exhibit, as it is presented to us by the Scriptures; and according to the scheme of discourse, which has been already mentioned. 1. Angels are the highest order of Intelligent creatures.

The truth of this assertion is manifest, from a consideration of the several names given to them in the text, and in other parts of the Scriptures. As these names respect the kingdom of God at large, without a limitation to any particular part of that kingdom; so they are to be understood, as being Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, and Powers, in the immense and eternal empire of JEHOVAH. Angels, therefore, who are called by these names, are the beings who, under God, the supreme Ruler, hold, throughout his dominion, authority and power. All other finite beings are, therefore, beneath them in dignity, and subordinate to them in

station.

The same truth is also completely evident from the place assigned them for their residence. I am Gabriel, said the Angel, who appeared to Zachariah in the temple; I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God. And before the throne, says St. John, there was a sea of glass, like unto chrystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four Living Ones, full of eyes before and behind. And they rest not, day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come! Rev. iv. 6, 8. And again, Rev. vii. 11, All the Angels stood round about the throne, and worshipped God, saying, Amen. In the year that King Uzziah died, says the Prophet Isaiah, I saw also JEHOVAH sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the Seraphim; each one had six wings; and one cried to another, and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is JEHOVAH of Hosts! the whole earth is full of his glory. In the same manner, is the same subject exhibited to us, and with a sublimity not inferior, by the Prophet Ezekiel, concerning the