THE ANGELS STUDYING THE GOSPEL: A SERMON, ON 1 PETER I. 12, BY THE REV. JOHN STEPHENS. We come now, (Concluded from page 433.) III. To investigate the probable motives which engage these heavenly intelligences in these evangelical studies. From their nature, properties, and pursuits, we shall, I hope, satisfactorily collect their motives. The space allotted to this discourse will oblige us to narrow the subject, as much as possible. We may observe, 1. They are pure spirits; and therefore they must delight in knowledge, and in every thing which is calculated to add to their stock of knowledge, and especially their knowledge of GOD. Encumbered and weighed down as our minds are with flesh and blood, yet every fresh idea that is worth having, every accession to our little stock of valuable knowledge, brings along with it a proportionate degree of pleasure. What intense delight, then, must those pure spirits enjoy, by means of every idea which is added to their treasures of knowledge! And though the works of Creation, and the dispensations of Providence, have been open to their inspection for nearly six thousand years, and though they have always beheld the face of our heavenly Father, yet, we are not afraid to assert, that the stupendous plan of human Redemption by JESUS CHRIST has increased, is increasing, and will for ever be adding to, their store of divine ideas. And it should really seem that the blessed God had some remote view to this, in the contrivance, progress, developement, and completion of that glorious plan; for ST. PAUL says, (Eph. iii. 8-11,) "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of CHRIST; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by JESUS CHRIST; to the intent that now, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in CHRIST JESUS our LORD." Yes, the lamps of angelic intelligence will for ever burn the brighter, for being supplied with oil from our christian cisterns. "Now the full glories of the LAMB Adorn the heavenly plains; Bright seraphs learn IMMANUEL's name, And try their choicest strains." 2. The Angels are pious and holy spirits; and hence they must be offended and repelled by, they must shun and avoid, every thing that is immoral and wicked, every thing that is offensive to God, or that tends in any measure to his dishonour; and, on the contrary, they must love and be attracted by holiness and virtue, and by every thing that has any tendency to promote the cause of morality, and to secure to ALMIGHTY GOD the glory which is due to him from his creatures. Indeed their great zeal against sin, and in favour of holiness, and for God's glory, is included in their very name; they are called Seraphim, burners; for he "maketh his ministers a flaming fire." It is the glory of the Angels that they are Seraphim; that they have heat in proportion to their light; that they have not only abundance of divine knowledge, but also of holy love; that they burn with love to God, and zeal for his glory. Now as the Gospel is calculated, beyond any thing else, and far beyond all other means put together, to heal the moral disorders of our world, to destroy the works of the Devil, to turn men from the power of Satan unto God, to bring men to love God with all their heart, and to love their neighbours as themselves, and whether they eat or drink, or whatsoever they do, to do all to the glory of GoD, it is natural and easy to suppose that these pious, holy, zealous spirits, must love and delight in the Gospel, and with peculiar pleasure bend down their heads to look into these things. Besides, as the Angels are in the habit of expressing the fervour of their pious zeal in songs of praise, as it is their great business, and that to which they are strongly inclined, to praise God, surely they derive an abundant stock of materials for this part of their duty from the Gospel of our salvation. Hence we find, that, as at the birth of the world, so also at the birth of JESUS CHRIST, the Angels shouted for joy: "Suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God." They cannot say, indeed, as we can, "He has loved us, and washed us; but they do most heartily join us in singing, "Worthy is the LAMB that was slain." 3. The Angels are benevolent spirits; and this consideration furnishes us with another reason for the interest which they take in the mysteries of the Gospel. The Angels are called "sons of God," because they imitate him. "Do good to them that hate you," says our LORD, "that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven" that is, imitate GOD, conduct yourselves towards evil men, towards men that are evil towards you, or do you evil, as God does; and this will be both an evidence that you are the sons of God, and GOD will honour you with the title and privileges of his sons. Now the Angels imitate GoD in their good works, generally; all their works being always holy, just, good, pure, and righteous: but they also more especially imitate the mercy, compassion, love, and tenderness of GOD towards the children of men; they are patient towards the evil and unthankful, and do much good to them that deserve nothing but evil. And it is not in a speculative view merely that they contemplate the great work of redemption: they consider it as "the grace that is brought unto us ;" and in that view their benevolent hearts are most deeply affected with it. Hence arises that affectionate solicitude which they have on all occasions expressed in relation to the Gospel. Wherever the glad tidings are published, they are present to mark the effects produced by them; and if they behold one sinner impressed by them with sentiments of contrition and repentance,-smiting on his breast, and crying, "GoD, be merciful to me a sinner! "-not even the presence of their God, nor all the glory of heaven, will keep them from rejoicing on his account. They do not wait till the man gets to heaven, nor till he is entirely sanctified, nor even till he is pardoned and accepted in the Beloved, before they indulge their benevolent rejoicings; by some means, the tidings are conveyed instantaneously to heaven, and, "I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the Angels of GoD over one sinner that repenteth." "For this the saints lift up their voice, And ceaseless praise to God is given; We raise the happiness of heaven." 4. The Angels have many duties to perform in relation to the Gospel; and this may be another reason why they "desire to look into these things." How much they were employed about the great plan of our salvation, before CHRIST came into the world, the Old Testament will amply inform you. "The sufferings of CHRIST, and the glory that should follow," were declared before he became incarnate. The Angels, therefore, were prepared for that stupendous series of events, which, in the fulness of time, began to be accomplished; and, no doubt, they waited for them with devout and earnest expectation. Accordingly, the very instant that they saw him brought into the world, they carried the glad tidings to the Shepherds, and informed them of the place of his nativity. From that moment, and especially in the most important scenes of his life, they watched him, not only as anxious spectators, but as agents, employed by their Creator, to minister to his necessities, or to attest his triumphs. After his temptations in the wilderness, and his conflicts in the garden, they gladly interposed their friendly offices to comfort and support him. Though we are not expressly told that they were present at his crucifixion, we can have no doubt but that they attended on him at that awful period with more than ordinary solicitude. Were they capable of sorrow, methinks, their eyes would on that occasion be as a fountain of tears; and they would beat their breasts with grief and anguish. But with what joy did they roll away the stone from his sepulchre, in order that his re-animated body might arise! How happy were they to satisfy the inquiring females respecting the truth of his resurrection, and the accomplishment of his own predictions! At his ascension, too, they comforted his astonished followers, by announcing to them his intended return in the clouds of heaven at the last day. Shall we say, then, that in these things they were mere servants and messengers, who felt no interest in the events themselves? We know the contrary: for at his birth a whole multitude of the heavenly host burst forth into that rapturous hymn, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men!" And as they ministered to our LORD, when he was here upon earth, so do they continue to minister to his faithful followers. From the moment of a sinner's return to God, they watch over him with the tenderest care. They encamp around him, and render him numberless kind offices. Little do we think how much we are indebted to their friendly aid; from how many snares they deliver us; in how many conflicts they succour us; and with what transports they bear our triumphant spirits to the world of bliss. Nor are those benevolent spirits unconcerned about the promulgation of the Gospel. They were much engaged in the missionary enterprises of the primitive Church: and, since the miraculous gifts of the SPIRIT have ceased, their agency seems to be more needful than ever; nor do I know of any reason or scripture which disallows a belief of its continuance. Let us then encourage the cheering idea, and thank GoD, and go forward. Many of our dear youth, of both sexes, have become volunteers in the honourable, but self-denying and laborious drudgery of collecting pecuniary aid for our Missions from door to door. Now do not frown upon them, much less shut your door against them; "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." Is a Missionary about to go forth with God's message to poor, perishing sinners? Angels are there. (Isai. vi. 2.) Is the Missionary disheartened and depressed? An Angel is there. (Isa. vi. 6.) Is the Missionary in danger of perishing by shipwreck? An Angel is there. (Acts xxvii. 23, 24.) Is a Missionary persecuted, and shut up in prison? Behold, an Angel is there. (Acts xii.7.) Is the Missionary countenanced by men, owned of God, and successsful in awakening and converting sinners, in turning them from dumb idols to the living God, and to wait for his Son from heaven? There are the Angels, deriving new joys from every triumph that the REDEEMER gains, and from every blessing that man receives. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Thus we have endeavoured to show you, what are the great subjects of the angelic study;-what is the import of their desiring to look into them;—and the reasons which account for their anxiety respecting these things.-Let us now conclude with a few observations on the whole. 1. The Gospel is important in its nature.-Prophets, righteous men, See SIMEON'S Hora Homileticæ, vol. ii. page 101; from which some sentences are borrowed, for the sake of the chaste simplicity of the expression. The thoughts, however, are precisely the same as I have several times delivered on the subject, long before the publication of that laborious and useful work. VOL. I. Third Series. AUGUST, 1822. 3 E and Kings, desired to see and hear what CHRIST said, and did, and suffered what the HOLY GHOST taught concerning CHRIST, the very Angels long to know, and stoop down to investigate. And surely that which has, throughout all ages, engaged the attention, and occupied the studies of so many illustrious personages, cannot be a trifle, however ingenious, nor a fable, however cunningly devised: it must be a matter of vast concernment to the creation of GOD in general, and of paramount importance to the human race in particular. Yes, my brethren; the doctrine of CHRIST Crucified, though to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness, is, emphatically, the power and the wisdom of GOD. Weighed against this, all other subjects are trifles, light as air; all the glories of human genius, of worldly science, of secular empire, when contrasted with this, have no glory, by reason of the glory which excelleth. May we give to this glorious doctrine all the attention, faith, love, admiration, and devotion, which it requires! May it have the homage of our body, spirit, soul; and may we account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of CHRIST JESUS Our LORD! 2. The Gospel is worthy of all acceptation-Careless people neglect the Gospel, as if it were not worth an effort, a prayer, a wish. Proud, self-sufficient, self-righteous men, always did despise the Gospel, and always will, as long as such men continue in the world. By wicked, bitter, persecuting men, it is now, as it ever has been, loaded with reproach, and stigmatized with opprobrious epithets. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the SPIRIT OF GOD: for they are foolishness unto him." Though the Angels are not unconcerned in the Gospel, yet their interest in it is nothing when compared with ours. Though no Saviour had ever come into our world, they would have been happy; they would have been Angels still; but where should we have been? what would have become of us? Had there been no Saviour, we must have led a wretched life, died a hopeless death, and then have suffered the punishment of eternal fire. Shall we then neglect that Gospel which the Angels study? Shall we pass lightly over that which they stoop down to investigate with such profound attention; or despise what they so much admire? CHRIST took not on him their nature: he shed not his blood for them: it was for us he became a man: for us he died upon the cross. What guilt then do we contract in slighting all his overtures of mercy! Surely the Angels will rise up in the judgment, and condemn us, if we are indifferent to the salvation which he so dearly purchased, and which he so freely offers. And what do these scoffers really think of themselves? Do they imagine that they are greater than our father ABRAHAM? that they are wiser than SOLOMON? that they are better than the Angels? Do they imagine that the Angels are so weak as to admire and investigate things which are beneath the notice of |