The angels are described with wings to fly, in Isa. vi. 2, seq, to shew their delight in their attendance ; and wings to cover their faces and their feet, to shew their adoration and reverence of God. The nearer they come to God, the more reverence. So there is no Christian, but like the angels, the nearer he comes to God, the more he abaseth himself and adores God ; as Job, when he came nearer to God than he was before, 'I abhor myself,' saith he, ' in dust and ashes,' when God came to talk with him. Job xlii. 6. The angels, the nearer they come to God, the more reverence they shew ; the more they cover their faces in his presence. And with the other wings they fly and do their duty, to shew their expedition in their service to Christ and his church. They do readily what they do. Let us imitate the angels in this.
, The angels have a double ofiice : a superior office and an inferior. The superior office they have is to attend upon God, to serve God and Christ, to minister to our head. The inferior office is, to attend his church, and to conflict with the evil angels that are about us continually.
It is good for us to know our prerogatives, our privilege, and our strength ; not to make us proud, but to stir us up to thankfulness, and to a holy carriage answerable. It is a point not much thought on by the best
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of US all. Wo forgot it, and betray onr own comfort. Satan abuscth us to make lis forgot the dignity and strength that we have. Hereby we dis- honour God and wrong ourselves, and wrong the holy angels, for want of faith and consideration of these things. A Christian is a more excellent creature than he thinks of. It is necessary ofttimes to think what a great degree God hath raised us to in Jesus Christ, that we have this glorious attendance about us wherever wo are. Oh it would move us, as I said, to comfort and to a reverent carriage ! and, indeed, when we cany ourselves otherwise, it is for want of minding and believing these things. I have spoken something the moro of it, because we are subject to neglect this blessed truth. Therefore, for the time to come, let us take occasion to meditate oftcncr of this spring of comfort than formerly we have done.
' Preached to the Gentiles.'
Christ, our blessed Saviour, being the king of his church, it was not sufficient that ho was ' manifested in the flesh,' and 'justified in the Spirit;' that is, declared by his divine power to be God ; but he must have his nobles to aclcnowledgc this too. Kings in their inaugurations not only make good their own title what they can themselves, but they would have others to acknowledge it. Therefore it is said Christ was seen of angels, those noble and glorious creatures.
But not only the greatest of the kingdom, but likewise the meaner subjects, must know their king. There must be a proclamation to them to know who is to rule over them. Therefore, Christ being a general catholic king, there must be a publication and proclamation of Christ all the world over. Ho must be ' preached to the Gentiles.' But yet that is not enough. Upon proclamation, there must be homage of all those he is proclaimed a king to. Therefore it follows, 'Believed on in the world;' that is, the world must stoop, and submit, and give homage to Christ as the Saviour of the world, as the Mediator of mankind. Thus we see how these things follow one upon another. To come to the words,
' Preached to the Gentiles, boHeved on in the world.'
These follow one another by a necessary order, for * preaching ' goes before faith. Faith is the issue and fruit of preaching. Christ is first 'preached to the Gentiles,' and then 'believed on in the world.' The points considerable are these :
First, That there must be a dispensation of salvation 7irour/ht by Christ unto others. It is not sufficient that salvation was wrought by Christ ' manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,' but this salvation and redemption wrought, it must be published and dispensed to others. Therefore he saith ' preached to the Gentiles.'
And then this publication and 'preachinr/,' it must be of Christ. Christ must bo published to the Gentiles. All is in Christ that is necessary to be published.
Then the jmsons to whom. « To the Gentiles,' that is, to all. The church is enlarged since the coming of Christ ; the pales and bounds of the church are enlarged.
And then the fruit of this. Christ being thus dispensed to the Gentiles,
the world ' believes.' All preaching is for ' the obedience of faith,' as St
Paul saith,' Rom. i. 5, and Rom. xvi. 19, ' That the obedience of the faith
may be yielded to Christ ;' ' preaching to the Gentiles' is, that he may be
believed on in the world.'
Fu-st of all, There must be a dispensation of Christ.
See the equity of this, even from things among men. It is not sufficient
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