(2.) To execute his sentence on the wicked : Mat. xiii. 41, 42, ' The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnash- ing of teeth.' So ver. 49, ' The angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from the just/ It is their work, and they are employed about it, to consummate Christ's kingdom against God's enemies and the enemies of his children.
[3.] To show they are a part of that army which is commanded by the captain of our salvation, the blessed Son of God. Now they are a part of the army which is employed for the destruction of the kingdom of sin and Satan : Ps. Ixviii. 17, ' The chariots of the Lord are twenty thousand, even many thousands of angels ; the Lord is among them in his holy place.' The psalmist speaketh of Christ as mediator and
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king of the church. No kingdom hath such defence, and such potent and numerous armies to fight their battles, as the church hath. The angels join with the saints in overturning the kingdom of sin, Satan and antichrist. They join with us ; their influence doth not always visibly appear ; and therefore when the whole army are drawn forth in their glory, they come as a principal part. In the head of this army there will Christ appear at the end of the world. When he hath won the field, he will come in triumph to confound his conquered enemies, and to be glorified in his redeemed ones. And therefore his holy angels, who are concerned in the conflict, are not left out in the triumph.
Use. To quicken us to get our minds more deeply possessed with the majesty of our Redeemer. The scripture often representeth this argument to our thoughts, that he is head of all principalities and powers. Surely the representing Christ in his glory is a point of great concernment, or else the word of God would not so often insist upon it.
1. That we may admire the Mediator, and may not have mean thoughts of his being and office ; but represent him to ourselves as a dreadful lord and king, who holdeth the most powerful creatures in subjection to himself. And shall poor worms make bold with his laws, when the angels are so ready to attend him at his beck and com- mand, and that in the meanest services and ministries? If christians did know and considered how much of true religion consists in admir- ing the person of their Redeemer, they would more busy their minds in this work. Your obedience to the gospel in general dependeth upon it, that we may not slight his doctrine and benefits, Heb. ii. 1-3. After he had showed that Christ had obtained a more excellent name than the angels, he presently inferreth, ' If the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward ; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him ? ' So Heb. xii. 25, ' See that ye refuse not him that speaketh from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth,' when he gave the law by the ministry of angels.
2. To quicken us to thankfulness. That we may bless God for the honour done to our nature in the person of Christ ; for it is God in- carnate that is made head of angels, and principalities, and powers. God in our nature, whom all the angels of God are called upon to adore and worship. This was the great counterwork to Satan's designs, for the devil's design was partly to dishonour God by a false representa- tion of his nature, as if he were envious of man's happiness : Gen. iii. 5, ' God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, ye shall be as gods ; ' to depress the nature of man, which in innocency stood so near to God. Now that this human nature should be so elevated and advanced, and be set far above the angelical nature in the person of Christ, admitted to dwell with God in a personal union ; oh, let us admire the wisdom and goodness of God.
3. To strengthen our trust, and fortify us against all fears and dis- couragements in our service. Though the powers and authorities on earth and their messengers and hosts be employed against the saints, yet the captain of our salvation is in heaven, and all the mighty angels
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are subject to hirn and at his disposal. By this means the prophet Elisha confirmed himself and his servant when the king of Syria sent chariots and horses and a great host to attack the prophet in Dothan : 2 Kings vi. 14, 15, ' And his servant saw it early in the morning, and said, Alas, master ! what shall we do ? ' The prophet answered, ver. 16, ' They that are with us are more than they that be with them.' And then he prayed, ver. 17, ' Lord, open his eyes that he may see ; ' and the Lord opened his eyes, and ' behold the mountain was full of chariots and horses round about Elisha.' The Syrian king looketb to his outward force, but considereth not the power of God. God can make pre- paration for his people's defence when all the powers of the world are against them. Those fiery horses and chariots were no other but the angels of God ; here is force against force, chariots and horses against chariots and horses ; thus doth the prophet seek to put fear out of the heart of his servant. He desireth God would but let him see the out- ward force and strength in which the heavenly hosts did appear, there- by to confirm his mind ; thus did the three children strengthen them- selves : Dan. iii. 17, 18, ' Our God is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, 0 king. But if not, be it known unto thee, 0 king, that we will not serve thy gods,' &c. ; ver 28, ' And God sent his angel for their deliverance ; ' ver. 25, ' The fourth was like the Son of God.' So Stephen, Acts vii. 55. 56, saw Jesus at the right hand of God in the midst of his angels. Nothing doth lessen created glory, and fortify us against the terribleness of the creature so much as this meditation.