thought, that never had a polluted imagination, an unhallowed affection. How little we can comprehend of this state! How little we can apprehend the condition of these spirits! Oh, to think of beings that have never had one sin to grieve over, that have never had one transgression to afflict them, that have never had one contaminating thought to defile them: one who, ever since he has been capable of thinking, has enjoyed a purity of intellect, so that he never abuses his powers; a purity of affection, so that he ever loves that which is good; a purity of will, so that he is constantly obedient; a purity of character, so that he has a constant similation to the divine character. Aй this seems to be the peculiarity of angels. They are called, "angels that have kept their first estate," and stand, continually, in the presence of their Creator. Mark their qualities, then, and see how very short of them the greatest believer comes, while passing through life. And Notice their number. Here we can only take the Sacred Record as our guide. Speculation may amuse us, as it has some, as regards the number of angelic beings; all we can say on the subject is, that it is very great. Our Lord, when on earth, said, he could pray to his Father, and he would send him a legion of angels at once. you remember, that at the time of the Redeemer's advent, there was one of the heavenly host appeared and spoke to the shepherds, and, as soon as he had delivered his message, suddenly there was with the angels a multitude of the heavenly host; the clouds sparkling, as it were, on a calm serene night, with angelic spirits, urging their flight downward, in order to tell that there was peace on earth, and good-will to men. But the Apostle gives us the most delightful view of this part of the subject. He says, they are "an innumerable company." After the mind has rolled over numbers (and it is amazing to what extent in calculation the human mind can go, how astonishingly comprehensive some minds are in computing numbers), yet there is a point at which even numbers fail. When the thoughts turn, therefore, to these beings there is an "innumerable company" of them; and these, with a multitude of human spirits, which no man can number, shall conjointly form the glori ous society of the upper and the better world. One loves to dwell upon it, there is nothing so sublime as a vast crowd of intelligent beings, when the eye rolls over them, and thinks of the dense multitude, all of them having intellect and capacity, and all at one moment bowing and adoring Him who sits upon the throne, and the Lamb for ever and ever. Carry your thoughts upward, then, and meditate upon the innumerable company of angels, with whom the believer is, ultimately, to be associated. I pass on to one idea more upon this part of the subject, and that is, their place. If you attend to God's word, you will find they appear to have a locality. We cannot understand how spirit is connected with locality; but still heaven is a place, and the angels are in heaven. There appears something rather absurd, in supposing one mind to be existing in another mind. If you read with attention the sacred page, you will perceive that they are described as being in the immediate presence of Jehovah: and, in connexion with this, you will find there are certain other angels, certain orders, and connexions, associated with them. As regards what are called “Archangels," if you pay the least attention to the Sacred Scriptures, you will find the term "Archangel" is never used, it is" an archangel:" we never read of "archangels." There is some question whether that individual who is called "the archangel" is not the Son of God, the Chief Angel of the Covenant, and so represented in this peculiar connexion. But, as regards all the others, they seem very clearly to describe orders, thrones, and dominions, and principa lities, and powers. And if it be so, and we see no reason to the contrary, then it shadows forth to us the different degrees of glory in heaven. Oh look at this, believers. You sometimes imagine that if there be different degrees of glory in heaven, there would not be an infinity of happiness to each inhabitant; but look at these thrones, these dominions, these principalities, these powers, and the glory of their spheres, each possessing a diguity compatible with his own order and circumstances; and then take this view of it that sheds a light on the celestial world, that as one star differeth from another star in glory, even so is the resurrection of the just. Some have supposed that these thrones, and dominions, and principalities, and powers, are expressions that indicate a certain kind of guardianship over kingdoms, over societies, and over individuals: but the Word of God says nothing of this kind; there is not a single hint of the kind: and therefore we must take it as manifesting peculiar glory, and referring to their particular employments. Hence we read of angels doing the will of their Father in heaven: "Bless the Lord, ye his angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his Word. I have endeavoured thus briefly to give you a brief notice of the scriptural representation of angelic beings. I now pass on to notice THEIR MINISTRATION. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Oh, how pleasing the thought, that there are millions of spirit who walk unseen, and are doing the will of God in connexion with us, in connexion with the church, and, we may say, in connexion with the individual believer. Let us attend a little to this point. I notice, first, their general ministration. I have said their "general" ministration, because we apprehend they have some sort of service in connexion with the world, as well as the church; and in connexion with the sinner as well as with the saint: and before we come to the particular point, we would take an outline of their general ministration. They appear, from the Word of God, to be the ministers of God's providence to do his will. One is represented as holding the four winds of heaven. Admitting this to be a symbolical representation, it seems to afford a view of God's administering his government in connexion with angels. So, again, one angel is represented as blowing the trumpet, another opens the seals, another pours out the vials; all apparently indicating the ministration of the servants of God by performing his designs in connexion with the church, in connexion with the world, until the time of the end shall come, and the Son shall give up the kingdom to the Father. Then, as regards the ultimate point of their ministration, it has a very peculiar reference to the separation that is to take place between the righteous and the wicked. For supposing that there may be a kind of momentary resurrection of the just first, yet they shall rise at the shout of the Archangel and the trump of God. These angelic spirits are represented as separating, and, it may be, perhaps, as classifying them into two bands, the righteous being on the right hand, and the wicked on the left, waiting the awful decision, when they shall be commissioned to go forth and gather the wheat into the garner, and bind up the chaff in bundles to be burnt. Let us remember, then, that the ministration of angels is connected with all the things which are seen and temporal, and with some of those which are unseen and eternal. But there is another point, and that is, their connexion with Christ. You will observe they were constantly his attendants: and, looking at the whole of it, one is quite disposed to say, there are no Socinians there; they all did homage to the Son of God, the whole army of heaven bowed before him, and they were attentive to his humanity. When he came into the world, they announced his birth; when he was in temptation, they came and ministered unto him; when he endured the agony in the garden of Gethsemane, there appeared an angel strengthening him; when he rose from the grave, two of them rolled away the stone, and two of them sat, one at the head and the other at the foot, where the body of Jesus had lain. They announced to the women his resurrection; they terrified the gardener; they appeared to do honour to their Master, who had thus spoiled principalities, and was triumphing over them, making a show of them openly. And this is not all. These angelic spirits attended him when he left the world. These spirits were at Bethlehem at the very time when he took his last leave of the Church below, when he threw the parting glance on the whole multitude that was assembled about him, gave them his benediction, and spoke of the things that were to come; and a cloud removed them out of their sight: they were there. The Psalmist has given us the idea he formed of it in the twentyfourth Psalm; and it seems very probable that something of the sort, in spirit, if not in language, was uttered by them. We seem almost to hear this beautiful song of praise as the angels went up with the Redeemer to glory, saying, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, yeeverlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in:" while the angels that were within seemed to throw back the sound, and say, “Who is the King of glory?" and those who were escorting him to heaven, replied, "The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, the Lord of hosts: he is the King of glory." "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in." And as he ascended, one of them, by divine appointment, lingered behind, tarried a little after his Master, and then pointing upwards, said to the wondering disciples," Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" -"without sin unto salvation." Angels you see, then, ministered to him in all the circumstances of his humanity, and in connexion with his deepest sufferings in his triumph over immortality, and in his ascension to the regions of glory, to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. In heaven they perpetually adore him. John says, "I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying, with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." There is one other view which we will take of this angelic agency; and that is, their ministering unto believers. Before we enter upon this, I would have you mark the expression contained in the text, and then you will see to whom the Apostle says they ministered so very specifically: they minister unto" the heirs of salvation." The believer is an heir: salvation comes by relationship; it does not come by descent, by natural birth; but it comes in connexion with a very peculiar relationship. They are heirs, and they are joint heirs with Christ. They are heirs of heaven. It points out very beautifully what the inheri tance is. Open God's Word, and you will see that what is termed salvation, is in another place said to be "an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away." "In my Father's house," said the Saviour, “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 yemay be also." It is said to be "the inheritance of the saints in light." What a beautiful idea; the purity of the inheritance, the purity of the inhabitants, the glory of the state, the knowledge, the bliss, and all the perfection that attaches to them.These are the individuals, those who are to come to this inheritance. And they come to it, you perceive, by virtue of heirship; being united to the Son of God, having a part with Him who is our Great Forerunner, and our Elder Brother, who sustains all that are delivered into his hands until they shall come of age, and shall be taken to the inheritance themselves. My dear hearers, let me ask you, whether you have any thing like this in prospect? Heirs of salvation, perhaps it is worth your attention that these spirits are never said to minister to the wicked; they never minister to the ungodly. Worldly men, earthly men, carnally-minded men, ministering spirits have nothing to do with you. except that it is to obey the command that shall go forth, if the grace of God does not prevent, "Bind them in the bundle." Think of the believer, the heir of salvation. These spirits, under the direction of Him who is the Great Angel of the Covenant-these spirits, all under his authority, all under his guidance, and under his peculiar care, watch over them until they shall have done with time, and shall form a part of the glorified inhabitants of heaven: they are the "heirs of salvation." Now let us proceed in our illustration. And where shall we begin? You have only to turn to God's Word, and from the commencement of it to the close you find the ministration of angels connected with believers. See them taking Lot, and sheltering him from the wrath which was then pending over the whole city. Pass on a little further, and see the holy Prophet in difficulty and trouble, persecuted and distressed, and cast into the den of lions: " My God hath sent his Angel." There had been one of the heavenly messengers in the night, in the dark and doleful dungeon, where every thing that was painful to human nature, and every thing that was appalling, was presented to him: " My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' Inouths that they have not hurt me.' Look into the New Testament, and you see the same ministration of the spirits. Observe the case of Peter: how perfectly secure he was supposed to be in the prison. He was fastened, according to the Roman custom, by being chained to a soldier, on each side, and in such a position, that he could not move without awakening his companions; if he turned on either side, the fetter, which connected him with one soldier, would instantly have produced a pressure which would have awakened the other soldier. But there was one of the heavenly spirits came into the prison, touched the fetter, released Peter; and he goes and manifests how God, in answer to prayer, had sent forth a ministering spirit to minister for him who was to be an heir of salvation. We may go a little further than this. It is delightful to think that ministering spirits are near us when we are dying. They wait to convey the believer home. They are passing, and they have been, from eternity, and ever will pass, between this world and another. And if our eyes were opened just as the eyes of the Apostle were, we should be struck with the multitude of the spirits that are ever near. Hence, when the human spirit is about to be freed from the tabernacle, about to drop that which it has long inhabited, there are these angelic spirits near it to convey it. "Hark! they whisper, angels say, And they die, and are carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. Oh, let us think, my dear hearers, how soon we shall be approximated to these spirits, who, redeemed by the grace of God, have part in all the blessings of salvation. I hasten now to close the subject by noticing SOME TRUTHS WHICH ARE CONNECTED WITH THIS GREAT AND IMPORTANT FACT. And here observe, in the first place, the vastness of God's creation. How little we know of the creation in which we live, and move, and have our being. We think of the almost invisible creatures which pass over the surface, from the smallest insect up unto man; we look at the lofty masses of matter-the sublime mountain, and the beautiful and deep valley; and we cast our thoughts over the rolling ocean; every thing that is attractive in form, colour, or substance; and all seem to overpower us. But, Oh, what a little speck it is, what a mere point in the universe, when we think of Him who has innumerable spirits, who has already countless multitudes of angelic spirits about him, and who will eventually gather, in connexion with them, a multitude of the human race whom no man can number. Oh, what wisdom; Oh, what power; Oh, what goodness, in the profusion of creation-in all that is seen, and in all that is unseen! Let us think, then, how great our God is: let us think of the infinite, Eternal, and Uncreated Spirit: and let us think that all the beings in the universe are maintained by his power, preserved by his care; and that all that portion of the creation which is fallen, in consequence of the transgression of one human being, is now to be the subject of his grace before it can enter the glory of another world. Another truth which we may gather from the subject is, that it reminds us of the amazing insignificance of man. "Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and and the son of man that thou visitest thim? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour." When we cast our thoughts upon these beings, how very insignificant we are, with diseased, mouldering, decaying, dying bodies; but these spirits without any infirmity, without any affliction, without any moral delinquency, or mortality in their character. What an astonishing contrast! Oh, what is man in all his greatness, compared with an angel? What are all the powers of his intellect, compared with those beings who excel in strength, in holiness, in knowledge? What is all his earthly grandeur and glory, which, in the course of a few years, will pass away, and be to him as though they had not been? Let us think what are the enjoyments, and the honours, and the glory of the world, yea, even the intellect of man, unless that intellect be sanctified? Remember, my dear hearers, that powerful intellect, unsanctified by grace, only brings you nearer the character of a fallen angel; it does not bring you nearer the character of these angelic beings, these celestial intelligences, these creatures that have never sinned. Mark your insignificance, then, and think of the immense disparity between human creatures and these holy beings, so holy, so glorious, and so pure. a It reminds us of the peculiar glory of Him who is Lord of angels. This is, apparently, the drift of the Apostle in the comparison he is here drawing. In the next chapter, he is showing the superiority of Christ to Moses; and in the next, the superiority of Christ to Aaron. He is establishing the peculiar dignity and glory of Jesus; and hence, you will observe, that all these angels that excel in knowledge, and wisdom, and purity, pay their adoration unto him. When he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.' They bow before him; there is no difficulty in their minds in looking to him, and saying, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." Never let us be afraid, then, of asserting the dignity of Christ; never let us be afraid of giving him too much honour, while we see that angels love him and worship him, and that angels, who excel in knowledge and purity, are constantly paying their best obedience to him. Oh, that we may confess, in the humble exercise of faith, "My Lord, and my God!" Oh, that we may cast our crowns before him, in connexion with the holy angels, and adore Him who sitteth on the throne, and the Lamb for ever and ever! Let us remember that they were made superior to Him, and pay him their highest homage, and their best obedience. It intimates what ought to be the anticipation of believers. We are coming, my dear hearers, to an innumerable company of angels. Oh, what a privilege it is to be an heir of salvation. Think of the society, think of their state, think of their character. In the course of a very little time we shall be given to the dust. Death is making rapid strides. "The fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" How we see removals constantly taking place. Year after year, some pulpit is vacant; some father, some pastor, some prophet of Christ lost to us, and gone to the eternal world; or some that have been active and holy in the Church, members of the mystical body of Christ, have passed away and every year reminds us, that the period is coming when our dust shall return to the earth, when our connexion with the Church shall be broken up, when our asso : ciations here below will be no longer continued. Let us humbly say, "Father, thy will be done only let me live in this delightful anticipation, that I shall come to the Church above, that I shall mingle with the innumerable company of angels, that I shall enter into that society at last, where I shall hear how the creation came into being, where I shall hear how the heavens and earth were made, where I shall hear how God's providence has governed it for six or seven thousand years, where I shall hear more of the mysteries of redemption and all its glorious effects." May the Spirit of God help us, my dear hearers, that when we feel we are approaching eternity, we may have some pleasing anticipations that we are coming to the innumerable company of angels, and to the spirits of the just made perfect. In closing this subject, let me remind you there are two classes of angels: and let me seriously put the question to you, With which, think you, shall you be associated? There are angels who have not kept their first estate, and they are consigned over to chains and darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. There are legions of them, ligions of fallen spirits: and will it be that you shall mingle with them? Will it be that you shall die under the sound of the Gospel, and be associated with those that perish? Will it be that you shall have heard of the Bible, and of the pure society of heaven. and, after all that, be excluded from it? Oh, that you may be wise, that you may consider your latter end, that you may ascertain where you shall be found at last, when every one shall be judged, and shall receive according to the things done in the body. Remember, if you are to associate with angelic beings, you must yourself be holy all angels are holy; and they can have no intercourse, no communication, no fellowship with unholy creatures: if you mingle, therefore, with these holy angels, you must have a corresponding holiness. "Ah!" you will say, "I am unholy, I am carnal, sold under sin: I am a rebel, a transgressor: I feel the depravity of my nature." Now look at the blood of Jesus; now look at that which angels are looking into with admiration, and love, and praise. I call upon you to look at it with faith, to look at Calvary now, to turn to the Lord of angels; and remember that his blood cleanseth from all sin; and, bowever impure and imperfect you are, standing in him you shall mingle with this innumerable company when time shall be no more. May he pour out his Spirit upon us, and at last bring us into this celestial state, where we shall go no more out, but serve him day and night in his temple continually. Amen. : |