Sixthly, Angels are perfectly lovely. In this world, we are apt to look too exclusively to external symmetry of form, gracefulness of demeanour, and beauty of complexion, in objects whom we esteem lovely; and these imperfect and unenduring endowments are suffered to fire the passions, and to engross the affections; to blind the reason, and to lead captive the judgment. But the angels have not only every imaginable exterior grace and beauty, but are pre-eminently endued with that virtue, which is the beauty of the mind; that beauty, which is 'as superior to that of the form, as the soul is superior to the tenement in which it dwells.' On this amiable quality, the mind fixes its eye in unwithdrawing approbation; and the heart yields up the fulness of its fondness with unsatiated delight. Virtue is the beauty of the heavenly world; the beauty which alone receives the homage of angels. This is the beauty, which reason will approve, which eternity will never fade, and which will never cease to please.

Seventhly, Angels are invested with high personal dignity. To this character, their rank, their abode, and their occupations, all necessarily contribute. What other beings are blessed with that nearness to their Creator, which enables them to understand the mysteries, and contemplate the magnitude of his dispensations, both of providence and of grace? Heaven is the centre, and the seat, of all that is great and wonderful, all that is refined and exquisite, all that is splendid and glorious. To angels, these magnificent things are habitually familiar.’ Their operations also are of a kind amazingly sublime. Behold one mighty angel holding fast the four struggling winds of heaven. Behold another, throwing his chain around the tremendous prince of the power of the air. And another, in a twinkling, gliding down, like a beam of light, from the throne of God, on an errand of love to man. Is not this a dignity, a sublimity of character, beyond even the stretch of human thought? I need not here recount the splendour and majesty in which angels have frequently appeared, in their visits to this lower world, as they must be familiar to every reader of the Scriptures. Nor need I add, that all these dignified and beautiful attributes of angels are eternal.

III. The Employments of Angels. That the offices of Angels are the most exalted in the Universe, is clearly indicated by their Names. They are styled Angels, that is, the immediate messengers of God. They are styled Thrones, Dominions, Principalities and Powers, 'to denote, that they sit upon thrones, exercise dominion, hold authority, preside in government, and are invested with the power, necessary for these great purposes.' They are called Chief Princes, to indicate that they are the first order of rulers in the universe under Deity; and Sons of God, to teach us that they are assimilated to God in chararacter and residence. They are called Morning Stars, to signify that they outvie all other intelligences in created splendour; and Cherubim and Seraphim, to inform us that they are beings furnished with superior discernment in knowledge, and superior ardour in holiness.

Secondly, The Angels are often exhibited as nobly employed, in the Scriptures.

1. Angels are engaged in rendering glory and praise to God. When the Creator was ordaining and framing this beautiful world in which we live, the angels clustered around his throne, and watched its daily progress; and when it was finished, the Morning Stars sang together, and shouted for joy.

When the Lord Jesus descended on Mount Sinai, amid thunders and lightnings, to publish the Law, he was attended by the chariots of God, even thousands of Angels.

When Jesus became incarnate, the angel Gabriel announced his birth to Zachariah, and to Mary. And to the Shepherds, who watched their flocks on the plains of Bethlehem by night, an Angel of the Lord came down, surrounded with a celestial radiance, proclaiming the tidings of great joy; and was immediately accompanied by a multitude of the heavenly host, who joined in the triumphant, burning, thrilling chorus, Glory to God in the highest! and on earth, peace: good will towards men!

When the Redeemer ascended up on high, and led captivity captive, the rejoicing Angels, as he was rising towards the Heaven of Heavens, again broke out into singing, Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in!

And when the great Day of Judgment shall come, and Christ shall again descend to judge the quick and the dead; the Archangel will come before him, blowing the last trump, to break open the graves, and to summon both the living and the dead to meet their Lord in the air.

2. Angels are employed in studying the works of God. The stupendous exhibitions of the perfections of God are the things, which the angels desire to look into. For this purpose, these glorious beings are eminently fitted, by their wonderful attributes, and exalted station. As Messengers of God, they visit, not only our world, but the innumerable regions of the Heavens; to trace out, and examine, and admire the transcendent displays of the wisdom and goodness of God, in the complicated, and seemingly contradictory operations of Providence and Grace. Angels visit distant worlds probably with more ease and expedition than men the towns in their neighbourhood; and compare systems with more perfect comprehension and accuracy, than we, states and kingdoms.' Again. 'Man, by the limited nature of his powers, is almost of course obliged, whenever he studies, to confine himself to study; and whenever he acts, to action. Angels, by their superior energy, seem fitted to pursue both courses at once; and to be able to study and act, without hinderance, confusion, or any other disadvantage.'

3. Angels are sent to execute judgments upon this world. When Adam and Eve were driven out of the delightful bowers of Paradise, Angels, of the order of the Cherubim, were placed at the east of the garden of Eden, to prevent their return to eat of the tree of life. Angels were sent by God to inflict judgments upon the Israelites on the army of Sennacherib; on Nebuchadnezzar; and on Herod. In the Apocalypse, Angels are represented by St John as pouring out the vials of divine wrath upon this guilty world. Thus are they sometimes the ministers of God's justice, that his judgments against sin should be made manifest.

4. Angels are sent to encourage and bless the children of God in this world. They are called by St Paul ministering spirits to those who shall be heirs of salvation. They descend from heaven, and ascend from the earth,

for this benevolent purpose. Thus,' says a great divine, < Angels delivered Lot from Sodom; Jacob from Esau; Daniel from the lions; his three companions from the fiery furnace; Peter from Herod, and the Jewish Sanhedrim; and the nation of the Israelites, successively, from the Egyptians, Canaanites, and Assyrians. Thus they conducted Lot, Abraham, and the Israelites, in seasons of great difficulty and danger, to places and circumstances of safety and peace. Thus they conducted Gideon to the destruction of the Midianites, Joseph and Mary to Egypt, Philip to the Eunuch, and Cornelius to Peter, to the knowledge of the Gospel through him, and to the salvation of himself, his family, and his friends. Thus Angels instructed Abraham, Joshua, Gideon, David, Elijah, Daniel, Zechariah the prophet, Zachariah the father of John the Baptist, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, and their fellow-disciples. Thus they comforted Jacob at the approach of Esau; Daniel in his peculiar sorrows and dangers; Zachariah in the sufferings of his nation; Joseph and Mary in their perplexities; Christ in his agony; the Apostles and their companions after his resurrection; Paul immediately before his shipwreck; and the Church, universally, by the testimony and instruction given in the Revelation of St John.' Finally, the holy Angels are now the blessed agents in convoying the souls of the just to the Paradise of God; and they will be the tremendous agents in severing the wicked from the good, at the day of Judgment. Thus are the Holy Angels the most sublime, the most pure, the most benevolent, the most happy part of all Created Intelligences.

man.

REFLECTIONS.

1. How different are these holy Angels from unholy How will a comparison between the two exalt them, and humble us. The Angels are pure spirit, pure intellect, pure affection, pure devotion. Man is kindred to animals, liable to error, impure in desire, and undevout in worship. The Angels, although clothed with immortality, and living in the heavens, are neither proud nor

vain. Man, although fashioned from the dust, and crawling upon the earth, is both proud and vain. The Angels delight to do the will of their Father in heaven. Man chooses rather to obey his own inclinations on earth. The Angels have no sin, no sorrow, no poverty, no broken hearts, no sickness, no funerals. Man is polluted with sin, bowed down with sorrow, pinched with poverty, crossed in his affections, made pale by sickness, and laid in cold obstruction in the grave. Surely, men are far different from Angels, in this world.

2. How improved would this world be, if men would endeavour to imitate the Angels. Happy, thrice happy, would be the change over the moral face of this earth. Then should we hear no more of sloth, envy, or malice; of oppression, hypocrisy, or impiety. The neighbour would never slander the neighbour; the son would never despise the wholesome counsel of the father, nor the daughter the tender warnings of the mother. Nations. would no longer war against nations. There would be no more robbers upon the road sides, assassins in the secret chambers, nor pirates on the high seas. There would be no more cozening in bargains, nor perjury in courts; no more wasting of the week day, nor profanation of the Sabbath. All would become peace, and love, and harmony; all activity, and humanity, and generosity; all obedience, and resignation, and devotion. Praise would be upon every lip, and incense rise from every altar. The whole world would become one vast and glorious Temple, filled with uplifted worshippers of the true God, and of his glorified Son, our Redeemer. Such would this world become, if men would imitate the holy Angels. 3. We should learn humility from the humility of Angels. Although the Angels are thus dignified and splendid beings, yet do they not disdain to minister to the relief and comfort of us, children of the dust. They bring no railing accusations to excuse themselves from serving such ungrateful, ungracious sinners as we are. They exhibit no haughtiness of character, in selecting the powerful, the wealthy, or the talented, for their approbation, or their favours. We are apt to pay homage to men, who have the brightest intellects, however they may pervert