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posed, some other residence or station assigned them in some other world; then it would seem that they left this residence, and the principality or government, that is, the office or station which they held, refusing to perform the duty assigned them by their Creator. In either case they were shut out of heaven; and as St. Peter informs us, were cast out by a final banishment from God, and were never more permitted to return to their former habitation. They had despised and disturbed the happiness of heaven, and therefore were permitted to enjoy it no more. They were discontented with their blessings, therefore they were taken from them. They had revolted from their God, therefore he cast them off.

III. They are confined in chains under darkness.

'Darkness' is a state obviously suitable for beings to whom. the light of heaven was unsatisfactory and odious; and ' chains' are most proper for beings, whose proud and wanton wishes were discontented with the glorious liberty of the sons of God.' Both also united, form a degradation eminently fitted for beings who, at the head of the created universe, were impatiently ambitious of a higher station. Both at the same time constitute a proper temporary punishment for beings who rebelled against the government of God himself, who kindled discord even in heaven, and to whom all their exalted blessings stood for nothing, while any higher and richer blessings remained.

IV. They are reserved unto the judgment of the great day. The punishment and degradation of these evil beings are not completed. They will hereafter be tried and condemned, for all the evils which they will have wrought or attempted, during the continuance of this earthly system. These evils, however gratifying to them in the perpetration, will after the judgment return upon their own heads; and instead of the triumph for which they hoped and laboured, will cover them with eternal shame, and overwhelm them in endless ruin. The chains which they now wear are literally everlasting, and will confine them unto the judgment, so that they cannot escape; and will confine them for ever in the sufferance of that misery to which they have destined themselves by a voluntary devo

tion.

Such, generally, is the scriptural account of the character and allotment of evil angels. It will be proper to add a few more particulars derived from the same source. The leader or prince of these evil beings, was the tempter of our first parents; the author of all the miseries, and an instrumental cause of all the sins which have followed that dreadful event. The same disposition which manifested itself in his rebellion in the heavenly world, was here directed in the same manner against the government of his Maker: a disposition compounded of malice, baseness, and treachery. Hence he is styled in the Scriptures, the adversary,' the calumniator, the father of lies, the destroyer, a murderer and a liar from the beginning. All his followers sustain the same dreadful and detestable character. So far as has been in their power, they have deceived, betrayed, and destroyed the race of men; have been uniformly the enemies of God and mankind; have tempted them unceasingly to sin, and have especially persecuted and distressed the children of God. They powerfully excited the persecution and crucifixion of the Redeemer, and the sufferings of his apostles and their followers. that time to the present they have unceasingly pursued the same malignant course; and will hereafter, so far as they are permitted, delude, distress, and destroy unto the end of the world.

From

REMARKS.

1. In this passage we find a short but affecting account of one of the most stupendous events which have taken place in the universe.

A vast multitude of intelligent beings, of the first order in the divine kingdom, excelling all other orders in knowledge, power and splendour, and unrivalled in the favour of God, rose up in rebellion against their Creator, Benefactor, and Sovereign; lost their pristine honour and happiness, their primæval virtue and dignity; sunk down to the depths of sin, shame and misery, and incurred the endless hatred and contempt of all good beings.

From this singular and amazing event, many interesting truths may be learned by us.

We

Lead us

If angels

(1) No created faculties, no finite holiness or happiness, furnish sufficient inducements to prevent creatures from apostasy. Angels fell. All others therefore may fall; and if left to themselves, will fall. The true reason why the spirits of just men made perfect, and the innumerable company of holy angels,' persevere in their obedience is evidently, I think, not their own inherent perfection, but the promise of God, and his almighty power especially exerted to secure them from sin. Without this safeguard they would, at least in my view, be utterly unsafe, and plainly exposed to destruction. cannot but see therefore, with what forcible propriety our Saviour has taught us to pray after this manner. not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.' needed a continual exertion of divine power to preserve them from falling, how much more do we, frail and feeble as we are, prone by nature to sin, and easily overcome by temptation, need the same exertions for our daily and hourly safety. How constantly and earnestly ought we to offer up these petitions. How unceasingly ought we to beseech God to keep our feet from falling, our eyes from tears, and our souls from death;' and to implore the influence of his holy and good Spirit to make the meditations of our hearts, and the words of our mouths, acceptable in his sight.' He only can preserve the bruised reed from falling asunder, and the dimly burning flax from being extinguished in everlasting darkness.

(2) We are here taught that pride could disturb the peace and happiness of heaven, and prove the cause of endless ruin to a multitude of its inhabitants. How great an evil then is pride! It overcast in a moment all the beautiful and eternal prospects, it eclipsed in a moment all the splendour, virtue and dignity of angels. What a vast, what an immeasurable ruin did it here accomplish! What a change did it make in the universe. What an amazing change did it produce in those by whom it was exercised! How ought we then to tremble at the indulgence of pride, the sin to which we are probably more prone than to any other! More or less, it occupies every heart; manifests itself in all the conduct of the children of men, and intrudes itself into their piety, their benevolence, their prayers, their songs, their alms, their humility, and their repentance. If angels were so odious in the sight of God on account of their pride, how odious must

we be! If they were ruined by it for ever, what will become of us?

(3) We are further taught that no creatures are so necessary or important to God, as to be secure from his anger when they sin against him. Angels sinned, and were destroyed. Who then, if found of the same character, will escape? Men often satisfy themselves that they are safe in the falsely intended reflection, that God never made men to damn them.' I have used the words which I have frequently heard used to express this miserable refuge of lies. It is undoubtedly true, in the strictest sense, that God never created either men or any other beings for this end; but it is equally true, that he has created men and angels also, who after they were created, sinned; and who, for their sin, were condemned to final perdition. The phraseology, apparently true, is substantially false, and is used only for the purpose of deceiving ourselves and others. The angels might certainly have used this language with more seeming force and justice than we can; but it could not save them, and therefore certainly cannot save us.

The number of wicked men, often relied on in no small degree as a foundation of hope and safety, is merely a foundation of sand. The number of the wicked angels did not avail them at all. Every one of the rebels was destroyed as absolutely, as if no other had been concerned in the rebellion. Their number also was immensely great; and one of them was of more worth and importance than many men united.'

(4) The punishment of the evil angels is not disciplinary. They have been already punished at least six thousand years; yet instead of being reformed, they have grown worse continually; and will grow worse, not only till the day of judgment, but probably for ever. The Scriptures inform us that the punishment of evil angels is the same with that of evil men. The punishment of evil men therefore is not disciplinary, but punishment properly so called; punishment designed to reward the sins, not to amend the characters of either angels or Both are hopeless of amendment; yet both may be useful, although dreadful, examples to the rest of the universe. There is not a reason to believe that a sin was ever renounced, or a sinner reformed, except by the almighty power of the Spirit of grace.

men.

2. We learn from these observations, that opposition to God is supremely odious and deformed.

This is the fundamental characteristic of apostacy in both angels and men. Of this the diabolical character is made up. How odious and deformed is it most justly accounted! How false, how malicious, how cruel, how base, how detestable. Let it be remembered that all opposition to God is, in nature and substance, the same; and that it differs not in kind, but merely in degree.

3. In how many respects do wicked men resemble wicked angels!

Like them, do wicked men exalt themselves against God, hate his government, oppose his designs, and revile his character; inflate themselves with pride, murmur at their own allotments, covet the enjoyments of others, corrupt their fellowcreatures, tempt them to iniquity, and defraud them of endless life. Like them do they hate, envy, injure, calumniate and destroy. How much of the history of this great world has resembled a history of fiends! How much of it has been a history of falsehood, fraud, treachery, pollution, slanders, contentions, murders, oppression, slaughter, irreligion, impiety, profaneness, and blasphemy. How readily have evil men, like evil angels, undertaken to rival God: and demanded the homage, worship and obedience, due to him alone.

How laboriously do infidel writers, even now, oppose their Maker, and their Redeemer; and strive to shut both their fellow men and themselves out of heaven. Particularly, with what frequency and constancy do they repeat the very falsehood, which was first told to the parents of mankind: ́ Although ve disobey God, ye shall not surely die.' How continually do wicked men by argument, ridicule, eloquence, and example, tempt each other to sin against God! How great a part of their life and labours do multitudes spend in this employment! Where can we find a moral distinction between this conduct, and that of fallen angels?

4. The same punishment which is reserved for evil angels, is accordingly reserved for evil men.

This punishment was prepared' at first, for the devil and his angels.' But Christ the final Judge of the quick and the dead has informed us, that impenitent men shall at the great day stand with them on the left hand, be included in the same