I.

THEIR EXISTENCE AND CHARACTER.

In the great conflicts that man has to wage with the terrible enemy to whom he has sold himself, and who labours to keep, or to regain possession of every individual soul, so long as it inhabits the body, man has but one effectual help. Unaided and alone, "God manifest in the flesh" fought the battle of redemption: he alone paid the ransom, and from him alone is all strength, all succour to be derived. There is not in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, any created thing capable of supplying a fraction towards the mighty price of man's deliverance, nor of contributing an iota of the power by which alone he can successfully fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life. It is highly important to bear this in mind, because of the fearful abuses by which the adversary has prevailed to pervert the delightful truths that we are now about to investigate. The Papal Apostacy, one of whose characteristics it is to "blaspheme them that dwell in hea

ven," (Rev. xiii. 6.) has established a system of angelworship, interwoven with every part of its unholy fabric, and carried to such an excess that it has prevailed to drive the Church of Christ into an opposite extreme, teaching them to shrink from, or to overlook the encouraging truths that tend to the glory of God, and which are therefore changed into a lie by Satan, in order that in our anxiety to shun that lie, we may lose the consolations provided for us.

Of what subsisted previously to the creation of this globe we have but very dim intimations; yet we know that angelic hosts looked on and rejoiced in the beauteous work. This is conveyed in magnificent language in the book of Job, where the Lord enters into controversy with the doubting and complaining, but selfjustifying sufferer. "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone thereof, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job xxxviii. 4-7. It is certain from this passage that beings bright and holy existed, with faculties to comprehend, and minds to rejoice in the manifestation of God's power and goodness in creating this globe on which we dwell. They are called "the angels of God," (Gen. xxviii. 12.) "Holy angels," (Matt. xxv.

31.) "Elect angels," (1 Tim. v. 21.) and from this we learn that when some sinned and kept not their first estate, God, by his electing love ordained, and by his strengthening power insured, the stedfastness of others: he kept them as he had made them-holy: he enabled them to resist the contamination of bad example when their brethren fell; and in honourable distinction from the rebels who forsook their own mercies, and subjected themselves to his wrath and vengeance, he calls them his sons. Yet in themselves they are nothing; and whatever they have is the gift of our God and theirs. "Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; and his angels he chargeth with folly; how much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?" Job iv. 18, 19. The latter clause, descriptive of man, shews that by "his servants," the angels are meant; and the Psalmist uses similar language, "Bless the Lord, ye his angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word: bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure." Psalm ciii. 20, 21.

The Bible is so exceedingly full of this beautiful subject, that it is difficult to separate it from the mass of scripture; we must, however, try to gather some particulars. It has been remarked that in no instance are we furnished with a description of the visible appearance of an evil spirit; but the holy angels have been

distinctly seen of men, from Adam to John: and in almost every book of the Old and New Testaments are their visits recorded. The forms under which they appeared are variously described: sometimes as mere men, as they did to Abraham, " And he lift up his eyes, and looked, and lo, three men stood by him." Gen. xviii. 2. And to Lot, "And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered the men laid hold upon his hand." Gen. xix. 15, 16. Such also was the appearance of the angel in the sepulchre: "And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment." Mark xvi. 5. At other times they have been seen in more supernatural brilliancy; but always partaking of the human form, as we learn by the context. Thus, Isaiah saw them winged; but their shapes evidently were still like ours. "Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly." Isaiah vi. 2. Of the angel who rolled away the stone from the mouth of the sepulchre it is said, "His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow." Matt. xxviii. 3. John saw a "mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of

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fire." Rev. x. 1. Again, he saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory." Rev. xviii. 1.

On several occasions we obtain glimpses of the vast multitude of these glorious creatures: When Elisha's servant became terrified at the magnitude of the Syrian host compassing Dothan, his master prayed, "Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw: and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, round about Elisha." 2 Kings vi. 17. Jacob twice saw large companies: first, when in his vision he beheld them ascending and descending on the ladder, (Gen. xxviii. 12.) and again when "The angel of God met him ; and when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host." Gen. xxxii. 1, 2. The shepherds of Bethlehem saw

a multitude of the heavenly host,” (Luke ii. 13.) and John describes the number of the angels whose voices he heard round about the throne, as "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands," (Rev. v. 11.) verifying the words of St. Paul, who says, "We are come... to an innumerable company of angels," (Heb. xii. 22.) and with those of David, “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels." Psalm lxviii. 17.

And this immense company of splendid, holy creatures, is not a promiscuous assemblage: they are ordered and marshalled, having gradation of rank, and