be one of the lowest places in it. Juft in the fame manner, and with as little reafon, do men fuppofe this earth which they inhabit to be the center of the universe: that all things elfe were made but in fubferviency to, and for the use of them; and that they are withal the only rational and immortal beings, the only beings capable of ferving God, or who can poffibly deferve his favour or protection.

Natural philofophy, (a noble and useful study, and of late much cultivated and improved amongst us) will inform us, that there is an univerfal order and gradation through the whole vifible world, from man to the loweft of beings. If our pride therefore will permit us, why may we not fuppofe this chain extended upwards alfo from man to God. The infinite diftance between divine and human knowledge will afford room fufficient for our ideas, and on this fuppofition, very probable will it appear, that the higheft order of celeftial fpirits are as fuperior to us, as we are to the loweft clafs of animal beings.'

From the above-mentioned confideration, therefore, even though holy writ had been filent in this point, we have reafon fufficient to fuppofe that there are fpirits whofe nature is much more perfect, whofe powers and faculties are far more extenfive than our own: but to put the matter beyond all doubt, and more effectually to check the pride and prefumption of man, God hath thought fit by his facred oracles to make frequent mention of the holy angels, thofe miniftring spirits who,

as

as the Apostle fays, minifler for them which fall be heirs of falvation. I have the more willingly felected this fubject at this time, because a fet of modern enthufiafts have lately fprung up, who, amongst many other things equally abfurd, have endeavoured to contradict the rcceived opinion concerning thefe miniftring fpirits, and by forced interpretations of feripture peculiar to themselves, have denied the exiftence of angels, and explained away their very being.

I fhall endeavour therefore, in the fubfequent difcourfe,

First, to explain, as far as the subject will permit and fcripture confirm to us, the nature and employment of thefe glorious beings: And,

Secondly, Briefly confider of what fervice the knowledge of that nature and thofe offices may be to us, in regard to our life and manners.

And firft, In regard to their nature, it muft be confeffed we have but a very faint and glimmering light to guide us in our enquiries concerning it; nor indeed can this ignorance be matter of aftonishment to us, when we reflect, that even the narrow limits of our own understanding, the knowledge of our own weak capacities, is a fecret even to the wifeft, and often by thofe few who are most capable of attaining to it very lightly regarded, and very carelefly purfued. If then what is fo immediately before our eyes, and of the utmost importance to us, efcape our obfervations; if we are fo ignorant of our own lefs perfect nature, how much more fo muft we be of that which is fo far fuperior to it.

X 2

All

All that we can certainly know of thefe exalted fpirits, or which may be gathered from fcripture concerning them, is, that they are immaterial and intelligent, but created and dependent beings, created long before man. The cherubims, angels in all probability of the highest rank, being placed at the Garden of Eden immediately after the Fall: they are conftantly reprefented as poffeffed of more knowledge and power than men, as difencumbered by grofs corporeal forms, able to tranfport themselves unperceived by us throughout this lower world: defcribed frequently in holy fcripture as acquainted with the thoughts, able to encourage or turn afide the purposes of men, ftrangers to all the paffions and appetites, difeafes or misfortunes incident to mortality: they that wait upon the Lord, (to speak in the fublime language of the prophet) mount up as eagles, they run and are not weary, their underStanding abounds like Euphrates, and like Jordan in the time of harvefl; they are covered with light as with a garment, and cloathed with majefly and Honour; they have, in fhort, knowledge without pride, enjoyment without fatiety, and power without decay.

Endowed with fuch natures, and bleft with fuch perfections, we can no longer wonder to fee them admitted to the miniftry of God, and engaged in the immediate fervice of the moft High; to fee them afcending and defcending, and performing the various offices affigned them by their great Creator.

Whilft God did himself graciously condefcend to rule his chofen people, he frequently made ufe of the miniftry of angels in the difpenfations of his Providence towards them. Sometimes we see them employed in the prefervation of whole ftates and kingdoms, and at others watching over and protecting fome favourite individual. When Mofes fent meffengers to the king of Edom, he ordered them to inform him that the Ifraelites were brought out of Egypt by an angel. When we cried unto the Lord, fays he, (Num. xx. 16.) he heard our voice, and fent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt. And again, Ifaiah fays, the angel of his prefence faved them,

In the 16th chapter of Genefis we fee an angel exercifing the noble virtue of humanity in the highest degree towards an object moft deferving of it. The unhappy Hagar, Sarah's handmaid, by her miftrefs's permiffion had been admitted, as the fcripture phrases it, to the bofom of her mafter Abraham; but becoming, foon after, on that very account, the object of her jealoufy and hatred, was greatly perfecuted and oppreft by her, infomuch, that in order to avoid further infults, poor and defencelefs as fhe was, he had fled into the defart, where, in all probability, fhe would foon have ended her days and miferies together, had not the Lord, in compaffion to her, fent his minifter to comfort and relieve her. The angel of the Lord came and found her by a fountain of water in the wildernefs, gave her hopes of happiness, and advised her to return; to which the readily affented: but a

little while after we again fee this unfortunate woman in almoft the fame diftrefsful circumftances, turned out of doors, and forced to wander with her helpless infant into the wildernefs of Beersheba, given up a prey to melancholy and defpair; when the angel of God calls to and comforts her, fupplies them both with food and water, and, in fhort, fupported and maintained them, fo that the child grew, and became an archer, and dwelt in the wildernefs of Paran.

Are they not all minifiering fpirits, fays the apofile, fent forth to minifier for them who shall be heirs of falvation? that is, to them who in the general tenor of their lives have endeavourcd to pleafe and ferve God Such, and fuch only, will his Holy Spirit guide, and his holy angels defend; to fuch they are always prefent, about their path, and about their bed, and fpying out all their ways. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that Fear him--the pious, the beneficent, and the diftreffed, were always the objects of their care: the patriarchs and prophets in the Old Teftament, the apoftles and good men celebrated in the new. Balaam, Jacob, Abraham and Jofua; to all thefe they appeared and were of fignal fervice: to Peter, to Philip, and to Cornelius; all men of diftinguifhed picty and goodness. To thefe heirs of falvation they will ever be prefent, ever ready to ferve, to cherish and to protect them. It cannot, indeed, without the utmoft folly and profump