We read repeatedly in scripture concerning the angels of God, Gabriel, Michael, thousands of angels, an innumerable company of angels, ministering angels, and other similar expressions descriptive of the army of heaven.

The earliest work of God of which we have any intimation is the creation of those angels; we know they were in existence before the foundations of the earth were laid, for they are represented as looking upon that work and re

positions are separately proved, each by its proper evidence, it is not a reason for denying either, that the human mind, upon the first hasty view, imagines a repugnance, and may perhaps find a difficulty in connecting them, even after the distinct proof of each is clearly perceived and understood. There is a wide difference between a paradox and a contradiction. Both, indeed, consist of two distinct propositions ; and so far only are they alike; for, of the two parts of a contradiction, the one or the other must necessarily be false,― of a paradox, both are often true, and yet, when proved to be true, may continue paradoxical. This is the necessary

consequence of our partial view of things. An intellect to which nothing should be paradoxical would be infinite. It may naturally be supposed that paradoxes must abound the most in metaphysics and divinity, for who can find out. God unto perfection?'-Yet they occur in other subjects; and

any one who should universally refuse his assent to propositions separately proved, because when connected they may seem paradoxical, would in many instances, be justly laughed to scorn, by the masters of those sciences, which make the highest pretensions to certainty and demonstration."-Horsley's Sermon on Matt. xvi. 21.

joicing.. "The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, who is this that darkeneth council by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee and answer thou me. 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."* Among these angels

we read of some who are called "holy:" "The Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him;" of others who are called "elect:" "I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things." We read also of angels who sinned, "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness;" "and the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day".†

In these and such passages of holy scripture, are revealed to us some of God's doings ac

*Job xxxviii. 1,—7.

+ Matt. xxv. 31. 1 Tim. v. 21.-2 Peter ii. 4.-Jude 6.

cording to his will in the army of heaven. He created legions of holy angels; he elected some of them to keep them holy; he allowed others to fall from their first estate, and when they sinned he drove them from the presence of his glory and cast them into hell. These last are called in scripture, devils;" the chief of them is called Beelzebub or Satan, sometimes to mark his pre-eminence, the devil; and we read of "everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."*

All this, so far, is plainly written in the Bible? but if any man wishing to be wise above what is written, should ask a reason for this: Why did God allow any of his holy angels to fall into sin? Or How can he justly punish them for doing what was done according to his will? Or why he elected some in preference to others to keep them holy? Our answer is, we know not, the Bible has not told us, and therefore we cannot tell. But this we know, that "whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he, in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and in all deep places:"† that "he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven," and that "none can resist his will, none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou?" It was therefore according to his will to uphold some of the

* Luke xi. 15.-Matt. xxv. 41.

+ Psalm cxxxv. 6.

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Angels in their first estate of holiness and glory: it was according to his will that others of them fell into sin it was according to his will to punish those who sinned, and he did according to his will. He spared them not, he raised his almighty arm against them, he drove them forth from that state of peace and purity which they had abused, and prepared a lake of fire for their eternal torments, all according to his sovereign and most holy will.

Now, my brethren, does this revealed character of God belong to the Being whom you worship? This sovereignty, this casting down. one and holding up another according to his will, this showing of mercy to whom he will show mercy, and whom he will hardening? My beloved friends, allow me affectionately to beseech you to lay aside the prejudices which naturally arise in all our minds against this truth, seriously and humbly to contemplate what is written in the book of God upon this subject, and candidly to put the question each to his own conscience: have I given these parts of scripture, the fair, unbiassed consideration which every part deserves? Have I received them in their plain grammatical meaning into my creed?

Is the object of my worship invested in my mind with this awful attribute of absolute sovereignty? If you cannot answer these questions in the affirmative, then surely it is not

too much to say, that there is an important difference between your God, and the God made known unto us in the scriptures; for, inexplicable as it is, (in reference to other truths) yet, we cannot fairly deny, that for the present this sovereignty stands in all its mysteriousness as a part of the revealed character of Almighty God, and as such, must enter into the apprehensions of all those who worship Him with the understanding, in spirit and in truth.

II. The Lord of Hosts doeth according to his will among the inhabitants of the earth. These are all insignificance itself in his sight, they are "reputed as nothing," "the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance, less than nothing, and vanity."

My brethren, the subject before us has been addressed too exclusively to the understanding, and has in consequence been usually productive of undevout controversy. It ought to arrest our consciences: it ought to make us feel (what we already acknowledge) our entire dependance, yea, our relative nothingness in the sight of our great and glorious God.

That the character and dealings of Almighty God are perfectly consistent with the freedom

* Isaiah xl. 12 to 17.