Rational Creation, Rev. James Brodie

Conclusions arrived at by unassisted reason.—In our inquiry into the general, considerations that indicate a peculiar exaltation in the Nature of Man, we remarked that, while the Naturalist tells us of many thousand species of living creatures that now people the globe, in none of all the multitude do we find any trace of an intellect that may for a moment be compared to that which distinguishes the human race. Not only in the extent, but in the nature of his powers, man stands alone.

A similar testimony is borne by the Geologist, in regard to the epochs that are past. He tells us of thousand thousands of creatures that have perished in the ruins of former formations; but though he has gathered the bones from their stony sepulchres, though he has even traced their footsteps in the sand, he finds no record of contriving skill, no evidence of any creature that bears, in that respect, the slightest resemblance to man. There are no remains of the builder's toil, or of the potter's art; there is nothing to indicate the presence of a master mind, capable of controlling the rude elements of nature, and of subduing the lower creatures to its sway. Had such a mind ever existed, it must have left some evidences of its operations, some trace of its power; but in the lapse of ages so numerous that it is impossible for us to calculate them, amid such a variety of species and genera, of every size and form, that the contemplation of them becomes perfectly overwhelming, no creature has ever appeared with which man may be classed or compared. He is the first of his kind. He appears as a new thing on the earth. His entrance on the terrestrial scene marks an era altogether distinct from those which preceded it. His nature and his position are altogether peculiar, and reason leads us to conclude, that the design for which he has been created, and the destiny that is set before him, must be peculiar too; but farther than this we cannot go, Geology affords no data for speculation; as to the classes and conditions of rational creatures we must seek for information elsewhere.

If, in the next place, we turn to the Astronomer, we find his observations completely at fault. He can tell us of planets in many respects resembling our own, and of suns without number, around which other planets may roll; but his instruments are far too feeble to give any information as to the creatures that people then, if such creatures there be. In the absence of facts we no doubt have abundance of conjecture, and a plurality of worlds, inhabited by races rational and intelligent as our own, is a favourite subject for poetical imaginations. While, however, one writer speaks of Jupiter, for instance, as the most magnificent of the planets, with a regular return of day and night, of summer and winter, with an atmosphere resembling our own, and four brilliant satellites to illuminate the darkness of his nights, and confidently concludes, that animals must be there, not only to walk on its surface, and feed on its fruits, but with intelligent eye to behold its glories, and admire the wisdom of the great Creator; another philosopher appears, who tells us, that if living creatures be there, they must be "cartilaginous and glutinous masses peopling the waters," for there is every reason to conclude, that Jupiter is "a mere mass of water, with, perhaps, a few cinders at the centre, and an envelope of clouds around it."

Amid conjectures so conflicting as these, and in the total absence of any decisive fact, it is evident that Astronomy can render our inquiry no aid. Whether we turn our eye, therefore, to the earth, or to the heavens, human science gives no information as to any class of rational beings besides our own. It is from Scripture alone that we derive any satisfactory evidence that such creatures exist.

There are, however, some considerations that may be adduced which lead us, without reference to the statements of Holy Writ, to regard their existence as probable.

In almost every tribe of men on earth, whether civilized or savage, we find the popular belief fully impressed with the idea that there are around us beings superior in power to man, and exerting an influence over him. We may refer, for instance, to the demigods and other inferior deities of classic times, to the genii of the Arabians, and to the fairies and sprites of our Saxon forefathers. A general belief, such as this, must have originated either in some manifestation of the presence of these beings, like the visits of angels, mentioned in the sacred narrative; or in some supernatural intimation of their existence, like the accounts of their nature and offices which are given to us in Scripture. Tradition may seem to the careless eye to be nothing but an incongruous heap of idle dreams, but it is evident, to any reflecting mind, that it must have had at the first some foundation in fact. It may appear a mere mass of idle conjecture, but there must have been some nucleus of truth around which that fabulous mass has been accumulated.

Scientific analogy brings us to a similar conclusion. In nature we find every creature, excepting man, forming one of a genus or class. There are, for instance, a great many species of quadrupeds, a great many kinds of birds, and the same thing may be said of fishes and insects, of trees and herbs. In the visible universe, man is the only creature that stands alone, isolated from all around him. The class of rational animals is the only one of all that the eye beholds in which we find but a single species. Analogy, therefore, leads us to conclude, that, in all probability, man does not in reality stand alone; but that there are other creatures besides the children of Adam, possessed of reason and intelligence, and subject, like him, to the moral government of God.

When the Bible, therefore, speaks of various classes and orders of intelligent beings unknown to the bodily eye, it reveals a truth which reason could not have discovered; but which reason, without the aid of Revelation, is predisposed to receive.

The rational creatures, specially mentioned in Holy Writ, are Angels, Devils, and Men.

Angels—their Nature.—Angels are said to be "spirits." They possess intellectual faculties like those that distinguish the soul of man, and they have feelings and affections similar to those that are found in the human bosom. We are told, for example, that as a shepherd rejoices when he finds a sheep that had gone astray, "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

We have not any detailed description of their affections and faculties; but the account given of them leads us to regard them as in both respects very far superior to man.

They differ also from man, not only in the superiority of their natural endowments, but in their having no material frame confining the soul. They are spirits; and a spirit, our Saviour tells us, "hath not flesh and bones." They have, however, power to assume a visible form, and to take to themselves bodies like ours. We read frequently of angels being seen, and speaking to men; we are told of an angel smiting Peter on the side, and leading him out of the prison; we read of angels eating with Abraham; and of angels laying hold on the hand of Lot, and on the hands of his wife and daughters. Whether they have at all times the power of assuming a corporeal frame, or whether this power is only given them on special occasions whether they possess bodies, not like ours, of flesh and blood, but of some light ethereal substance, or whether they are altogether disjoined from matter, we cannot tell. It does not concern us to know, and therefore it has not been revealed. When they appear in a visible form, their figure indicates the superiority of their nature. They seem most frequently to have had the likeness of "young men in shining garments;" and though, when sent on messages of peace, their glory was veiled, lest it should terrify those to whom they spoke, even on these occasions we find them retaining so much of the radiance of heaven, that the beholders were filled with fear. When they appeared with their glory unveiled, their splendour is described as overwhelming: it is said for instance, of the angel that descended from heaven and rolled back the stone from the Saviour's sepulchre, that "his countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men."

The power which they possess is spoken of as being exceedingly great. David styles them "angels that excel in strength;" and the deeds ascribed to them in Scripture, show how well they are entitled to be called "the mighty ones." When David sinned in numbering the people, an angel in three days slew threescore and ten thousand of Judah and Israel; and when Sennacherib came up against Hezekiah, an angel smote in one night an hundred and eighty-five thousand of the invader's host. Their vigour is also shown in the rapidity with which they are represented as performing the work of the Lord, and in their continuous and unwearied service.

In regard to their wisdom they are termed cherubim, which is understood to denote fulness of knowledge. Possessed originally of the noblest intellectual powers, and having had for thousands of years the best opportunities of improving and exercising the faculties given to them, having stood in the presence of God and seen the secrets of His counsel, with no prejudice to bias their views of the present, and no sinful forgetfulness to impair their remembrance of the past, they take their place at the head of the intelligent creation, so that the Saviour, when He would impress on His disciples a sense of the unsearchable depths of Jehovah's counsels, says to them, "Of that day and hour knoweth no one; no, not the angels of heaven."

The exaltation of their nature, and the high rank, they hold, is very clearly indicated in the titles that are given them. They are called "morning-stars" and "sons of God." In one passage they are termed "gods," Ps. lxxxii. 1: "God judgeth among the gods." In Paul's Epistle to the Colossians, they are described as "thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers." These titles do not refer merely to earth, or to any limited portion of the universe, but to the kingdom of God at large. They are set over Jehovah's wide domain as His representatives and vice-roys, and all other finite beings seem to be put under their sway.

Angels—their Numbers.—Both in the Old Testament and in the New, we find angels spoken of in such a manner as leads us to conclude that their numbers are very great. In several passages this fact is expressly stated. David says, (Psalm lxviii.), "The chariots of the Lord are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels;" and though there be some difficulty as to the exact rendering of the original terms, commentators are agreed as to the general meaning which they are intended to convey. In Daniel vii. 10, we are told that when the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit, "thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him." In the Gospel by Matthew, (xxvi. 53,) our Saviour says, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray unto my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" In the Epistle to the Hebrews, St. Paul speaks of "an innumerable company of angels," (Heb. xii. 22;) and in the Apocalypse the Apostle John says, "I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living ones, and the elders, even thousands of thousands," (Rev. v. 11.) These passages do not inform us whether the hosts of the highest heaven are to be reckoned by thousands or millions, or any numerical denomination in use among men; but we learn from them, that their numbers are very great. Man, therefore, instead of being the only creature possessed of reason, as we might naturally conclude if our attention were confined to the visible creation, is but one of a multitude; and instead of being exalted above all his fellows, and entitled to take his place in the foremost rank of created beings, is rather to be looked on as at the bottom of the scale; for there are "thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers," angelic beings of varied rank and office, surpassing him at once in faculties and in station.

The Character of Angels.—Angels are possessed of perfect holiness. So many arguments might be adduced in proof of this statement, that they will spontaneously occur to every intelligent reader of the Word of God, and need not here be enumerated. The very name of "holy angels," so generally given to them, necessarily implies it. They give their heart, and soul, and strength, and mind, to the Lord. They see the power and majesty of their Heavenly King, and render to Him the homage due; they feel their dependence on His bounty, and humbly rely on His care; they remember all His gifts, and their hearts are filled with gratitude, and their tongues with praise. They are the seraphim, or "burning ones," whose hearts glow with a flame that knows no decay, but increases through eternity in its brightness and intensity. Full of heavenly beauty, which no transgression has tarnished; full of glory, which no weakness has diminished, they stand before the throne of their Maker as the humblest of adorers. They veil their faces with their wings, and confess themselves unworthy to look upon the Lord; all their songs imply a sense of their dependence, and all their glory they attribute to Him in whom they live, and move, and have their being.

At the same time they are distinguished for their benevolence to their fellow-creatures. High and glorious as they are, had their ways and thoughts been like those of men, they never would have stooped to regard the children of the dust. Sinful man must in their eyes be loathsome as the putrefying carcase, and hateful as the serpent's brood; but, notwithstanding this, it is their delight to minister to the people of God, and they find unceasing pleasure in advancing the happiness of men. All God's purposes of mercy they eagerly forward, and every plan by which the joy of His people may be increased, they strive to fulfil. Love to God makes duty pleasing, and love to their fellow-creatures perfects their joy. Over every sinner that repenteth they raise their note of triumph, and in the service of God, for the welfare of His people, no labour is fatiguing, and no office is regarded as mean.

The Employment of Angels.—These blessed spirits are represented as earnestly studying the work of the Lord. This is implied in the titles given to them, and in the description given of their "standing before the Lord," and "beholding his face." The work of Redemption is spoken of as the special object of their contemplation. They are described as rejoicing when the foundations of the world were laid, (Job xxxviii. 7;) and now, in the fulness of time, it is "by the church" that God makes known unto them "His manifold wisdom;" and into the things that concern man's salvation, we are told "they earnestly desire to look." (1 Pet. i. 12.)

They are represented as standing before God, and ministering around the throne; but, in particular, they are described as attending upon the Saviour. "When God bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." (Heb. i. 6.) To this commandment they have shown a ready and implicit obedience. When our Lord was born in the stable at Bethlehem, a multitude of the heavenly host came from their abode of glory to herald His arrival, and confess in the son of Mary the presence of their King. When His temptation in the wilderness was over, angels ministered to His wants; they comforted Him in the garden of His agony; they opened His sepulchre, and watched and witnessed His ascension up on high. At the present time they stand around the throne, in the midst of which He appears as "the Lamb that was slain," and cease not day or night to proclaim His praise; and when He returns again to judge the world, He comes to "sit on the throne of His glory, and all His holy angels with Him."

Their service, moreover, is not that of mere ceremonial attendance; they are continually employed in the active performance of the Saviour's commands. We read of them in ancient times being frequently employed in messages of mercy, to supply the wants of God's people, to warn them of danger, to deliver them from the power of their enemies, and to reveal to them the counsel and purposes of God. In the present dispensation they do not openly appear to the bodily eye; but we are told that they all, even the highest, are engaged in caring for the people of God: "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. i. 14.) How they work we cannot tell; but their influence is unquestionably great, and it is all exerted for good. They are even spoken of as appearing in our defence in the presence of God: "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. xviii. 10.) When the believer departs from this earthly scene their kindly offices are ready: Lazarus died, "and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." (Luke xvi. 22.)

The superiority of their nature, the extent of their intellectual power, and the dignity of their exalted station, lead us to look on these inhabitants of the upper sphere with wonder and admiration. The devotedness and benevolence of their character inspire us with the highest regard, and the ready obedience, by which they manifest their devotion and love, is well fitted to call forth our praise. We see in them patterns that deserve our most earnest imitation; and in contemplating their conduct, and contrasting it with our own, we see the force of the petition which our Saviour taught His disciples to offer: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."




				Section III. The Different Classes of Rational Creatures. Chapter I. Angels. Conclusions arrived at by unassisted reason.—In our inquiry into the general, considerations that indicate a peculiar exaltation in the Nature of Man, we remarked that, while the Naturalist tells us of many thousand species of living creatures that now people the globe, in none of all the multitude do we find any trace of an intellect that may for a moment be compared to that which distinguishes the human race. Not only in the extent, but in the nature of his powers, man stands alone. A similar testimony is borne by the Geologist, in regard to the epochs that are past. He tells us of thousand thousands of creatures that have perished in the ruins of former formations; but though he has gathered the bones from their stony sepulchres, though he has even traced their footsteps in the sand, he finds no record of contriving skill, no evidence of any creature that bears, in that respect, the slightest resemblance to man. There are no remains of the builder's toil, or of the potter's art; there is nothing to indicate the presence of a master mind, capable of controlling the rude elements of nature, and of subduing the lower creatures to its sway. Had such a mind ever existed, it must have left some evidences of its operations, some trace of its power; but in the lapse of ages so numerous that it is impossible for us to calculate them, amid such a variety of species and genera, of every size and form, that the contemplation of them becomes perfectly overwhelming, no creature has ever appeared with which man may be classed or compared. He is the first of his kind. He appears as a new thing on the earth. His entrance on the terrestrial scene marks an era altogether distinct from those which preceded it. His nature and his position are altogether peculiar, and reason leads us to conclude, that the design for which he has been created, and the destiny that is set before him, must be peculiar too; but farther than this we cannot go, Geology affords no data for speculation; as to the classes and conditions of rational creatures we must seek for information elsewhere. If, in the next place, we turn to the Astronomer, we find his observations completely at fault. He can tell us of planets in many respects resembling our own, and of suns without number, around which other planets may roll; but his instruments are far too feeble to give any information as to the creatures that people then, if such creatures there be. In the absence of facts we no doubt have abundance of conjecture, and a plurality of worlds, inhabited by races rational and intelligent as our own, is a favourite subject for poetical imaginations. While, however, one writer speaks of Jupiter, for instance, as the most magnificent of the planets, with a regular return of day and night, of summer and winter, with an atmosphere resembling our own, and four brilliant satellites to illuminate the darkness of his nights, and confidently concludes, that animals must be there, not only to walk on its surface, and feed on its fruits, but with intelligent eye to behold its glories, and admire the wisdom of the great Creator; another philosopher appears, who tells us, that if living creatures be there, they must be "cartilaginous and glutinous masses peopling the waters," for there is every reason to conclude, that Jupiter is "a mere mass of water, with, perhaps, a few cinders at the centre, and an envelope of clouds around it." Amid conjectures so conflicting as these, and in the total absence of any decisive fact, it is evident that Astronomy can render our inquiry no aid. Whether we turn our eye, therefore, to the earth, or to the heavens, human science gives no information as to any class of rational beings besides our own. It is from Scripture alone that we derive any satisfactory evidence that such creatures exist. There are, however, some considerations that may be adduced which lead us, without reference to the statements of Holy Writ, to regard their existence as probable. In almost every tribe of men on earth, whether civilized or savage, we find the popular belief fully impressed with the idea that there are around us beings superior in power to man, and exerting an influence over him. We may refer, for instance, to the demigods and other inferior deities of classic times, to the genii of the Arabians, and to the fairies and sprites of our Saxon forefathers. A general belief, such as this, must have originated either in some manifestation of the presence of these beings, like the visits of angels, mentioned in the sacred narrative; or in some supernatural intimation of their existence, like the accounts of their nature and offices which are given to us in Scripture. Tradition may seem to the careless eye to be nothing but an incongruous heap of idle dreams, but it is evident, to any reflecting mind, that it must have had at the first some foundation in fact. It may appear a mere mass of idle conjecture, but there must have been some nucleus of truth around which that fabulous mass has been accumulated. Scientific analogy brings us to a similar conclusion. In nature we find every creature, excepting man, forming one of a genus or class. There are, for instance, a great many species of quadrupeds, a great many kinds of birds, and the same thing may be said of fishes and insects, of trees and herbs. In the visible universe, man is the only creature that stands alone, isolated from all around him. The class of rational animals is the only one of all that the eye beholds in which we find but a single species. Analogy, therefore, leads us to conclude, that, in all probability, man does not in reality stand alone; but that there are other creatures besides the children of Adam, possessed of reason and intelligence, and subject, like him, to the moral government of God. When the Bible, therefore, speaks of various classes and orders of intelligent beings unknown to the bodily eye, it reveals a truth which reason could not have discovered; but which reason, without the aid of Revelation, is predisposed to receive. The rational creatures, specially mentioned in Holy Writ, are Angels, Devils, and Men. Angels—their Nature.—Angels are said to be "spirits." They possess intellectual faculties like those that distinguish the soul of man, and they have feelings and affections similar to those that are found in the human bosom. We are told, for example, that as a shepherd rejoices when he finds a sheep that had gone astray, "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." We have not any detailed description of their affections and faculties; but the account given of them leads us to regard them as in both respects very far superior to man. They differ also from man, not only in the superiority of their natural endowments, but in their having no material frame confining the soul. They are spirits; and a spirit, our Saviour tells us, "hath not flesh and bones." They have, however, power to assume a visible form, and to take to themselves bodies like ours. We read frequently of angels being seen, and speaking to men; we are told of an angel smiting Peter on the side, and leading him out of the prison; we read of angels eating with Abraham; and of angels laying hold on the hand of Lot, and on the hands of his wife and daughters. Whether they have at all times the power of assuming a corporeal frame, or whether this power is only given them on special occasions whether they possess bodies, not like ours, of flesh and blood, but of some light ethereal substance, or whether they are altogether disjoined from matter, we cannot tell. It does not concern us to know, and therefore it has not been revealed. When they appear in a visible form, their figure indicates the superiority of their nature. They seem most frequently to have had the likeness of "young men in shining garments;" and though, when sent on messages of peace, their glory was veiled, lest it should terrify those to whom they spoke, even on these occasions we find them retaining so much of the radiance of heaven, that the beholders were filled with fear. When they appeared with their glory unveiled, their splendour is described as overwhelming: it is said for instance, of the angel that descended from heaven and rolled back the stone from the Saviour's sepulchre, that "his countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men." The power which they possess is spoken of as being exceedingly great. David styles them "angels that excel in strength;" and the deeds ascribed to them in Scripture, show how well they are entitled to be called "the mighty ones." When David sinned in numbering the people, an angel in three days slew threescore and ten thousand of Judah and Israel; and when Sennacherib came up against Hezekiah, an angel smote in one night an hundred and eighty-five thousand of the invader's host. Their vigour is also shown in the rapidity with which they are represented as performing the work of the Lord, and in their continuous and unwearied service. In regard to their wisdom they are termed cherubim, which is understood to denote fulness of knowledge. Possessed originally of the noblest intellectual powers, and having had for thousands of years the best opportunities of improving and exercising the faculties given to them, having stood in the presence of God and seen the secrets of His counsel, with no prejudice to bias their views of the present, and no sinful forgetfulness to impair their remembrance of the past, they take their place at the head of the intelligent creation, so that the Saviour, when He would impress on His disciples a sense of the unsearchable depths of Jehovah's counsels, says to them, "Of that day and hour knoweth no one; no, not the angels of heaven." The exaltation of their nature, and the high rank, they hold, is very clearly indicated in the titles that are given them. They are called "morning-stars" and "sons of God." In one passage they are termed "gods," Ps. lxxxii. 1: "God judgeth among the gods." In Paul's Epistle to the Colossians, they are described as "thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers." These titles do not refer merely to earth, or to any limited portion of the universe, but to the kingdom of God at large. They are set over Jehovah's wide domain as His representatives and vice-roys, and all other finite beings seem to be put under their sway. Angels—their Numbers.—Both in the Old Testament and in the New, we find angels spoken of in such a manner as leads us to conclude that their numbers are very great. In several passages this fact is expressly stated. David says, (Psalm lxviii.), "The chariots of the Lord are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels;" and though there be some difficulty as to the exact rendering of the original terms, commentators are agreed as to the general meaning which they are intended to convey. In Daniel vii. 10, we are told that when the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit, "thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him." In the Gospel by Matthew, (xxvi. 53,) our Saviour says, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray unto my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" In the Epistle to the Hebrews, St. Paul speaks of "an innumerable company of angels," (Heb. xii. 22;) and in the Apocalypse the Apostle John says, "I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living ones, and the elders, even thousands of thousands," (Rev. v. 11.) These passages do not inform us whether the hosts of the highest heaven are to be reckoned by thousands or millions, or any numerical denomination in use among men; but we learn from them, that their numbers are very great. Man, therefore, instead of being the only creature possessed of reason, as we might naturally conclude if our attention were confined to the visible creation, is but one of a multitude; and instead of being exalted above all his fellows, and entitled to take his place in the foremost rank of created beings, is rather to be looked on as at the bottom of the scale; for there are "thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers," angelic beings of varied rank and office, surpassing him at once in faculties and in station. The Character of Angels.—Angels are possessed of perfect holiness. So many arguments might be adduced in proof of this statement, that they will spontaneously occur to every intelligent reader of the Word of God, and need not here be enumerated. The very name of "holy angels," so generally given to them, necessarily implies it. They give their heart, and soul, and strength, and mind, to the Lord. They see the power and majesty of their Heavenly King, and render to Him the homage due; they feel their dependence on His bounty, and humbly rely on His care; they remember all His gifts, and their hearts are filled with gratitude, and their tongues with praise. They are the seraphim, or "burning ones," whose hearts glow with a flame that knows no decay, but increases through eternity in its brightness and intensity. Full of heavenly beauty, which no transgression has tarnished; full of glory, which no weakness has diminished, they stand before the throne of their Maker as the humblest of adorers. They veil their faces with their wings, and confess themselves unworthy to look upon the Lord; all their songs imply a sense of their dependence, and all their glory they attribute to Him in whom they live, and move, and have their being. At the same time they are distinguished for their benevolence to their fellow-creatures. High and glorious as they are, had their ways and thoughts been like those of men, they never would have stooped to regard the children of the dust. Sinful man must in their eyes be loathsome as the putrefying carcase, and hateful as the serpent's brood; but, notwithstanding this, it is their delight to minister to the people of God, and they find unceasing pleasure in advancing the happiness of men. All God's purposes of mercy they eagerly forward, and every plan by which the joy of His people may be increased, they strive to fulfil. Love to God makes duty pleasing, and love to their fellow-creatures perfects their joy. Over every sinner that repenteth they raise their note of triumph, and in the service of God, for the welfare of His people, no labour is fatiguing, and no office is regarded as mean. The Employment of Angels.—These blessed spirits are represented as earnestly studying the work of the Lord. This is implied in the titles given to them, and in the description given of their "standing before the Lord," and "beholding his face." The work of Redemption is spoken of as the special object of their contemplation. They are described as rejoicing when the foundations of the world were laid, (Job xxxviii. 7;) and now, in the fulness of time, it is "by the church" that God makes known unto them "His manifold wisdom;" and into the things that concern man's salvation, we are told "they earnestly desire to look." (1 Pet. i. 12.) They are represented as standing before God, and ministering around the throne; but, in particular, they are described as attending upon the Saviour. "When God bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." (Heb. i. 6.) To this commandment they have shown a ready and implicit obedience. When our Lord was born in the stable at Bethlehem, a multitude of the heavenly host came from their abode of glory to herald His arrival, and confess in the son of Mary the presence of their King. When His temptation in the wilderness was over, angels ministered to His wants; they comforted Him in the garden of His agony; they opened His sepulchre, and watched and witnessed His ascension up on high. At the present time they stand around the throne, in the midst of which He appears as "the Lamb that was slain," and cease not day or night to proclaim His praise; and when He returns again to judge the world, He comes to "sit on the throne of His glory, and all His holy angels with Him." Their service, moreover, is not that of mere ceremonial attendance; they are continually employed in the active performance of the Saviour's commands. We read of them in ancient times being frequently employed in messages of mercy, to supply the wants of God's people, to warn them of danger, to deliver them from the power of their enemies, and to reveal to them the counsel and purposes of God. In the present dispensation they do not openly appear to the bodily eye; but we are told that they all, even the highest, are engaged in caring for the people of God: "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. i. 14.) How they work we cannot tell; but their influence is unquestionably great, and it is all exerted for good. They are even spoken of as appearing in our defence in the presence of God: "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. xviii. 10.) When the believer departs from this earthly scene their kindly offices are ready: Lazarus died, "and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." (Luke xvi. 22.) The superiority of their nature, the extent of their intellectual power, and the dignity of their exalted station, lead us to look on these inhabitants of the upper sphere with wonder and admiration. The devotedness and benevolence of their character inspire us with the highest regard, and the ready obedience, by which they manifest their devotion and love, is well fitted to call forth our praise. We see in them patterns that deserve our most earnest imitation; and in contemplating their conduct, and contrasting it with our own, we see the force of the petition which our Saviour taught His disciples to offer: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
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