face of my Father ivJiich is in heaven^\" What is the meaning of this ? and what is the force of this menace ? The foregoing- subject will explain it. The meaning is this. The least and meanest of God's people have one or more angels peculiarly interested about them in heaven : and, when they see the injuries done to the objects of their care, they cry to God in their behalf for vengeance ; " How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge their cause''?" And then, as " they do continually his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word," they wait for the first intimation of the Divine will, and are ready to execute without delay the judgment which God assigns: and, if there were an hundred and eighty-five thousand of those enemies, they should all be " eaten up with worms," as Herod was, or be cut off, like the Assyrian host, in one single night. And let us mark parti- cularly the extent of this admonition. It is not said. Take heed that ye do not destroy my people ; but, that ye do not ^^ despise" them; that ye despise not ''one" of them ; not one of " these little ones" however mean and despicable he may appear ; for he has an avenger in heaven : and the vengeance he will inflict is far more terrible than being drowned in the depths of the sea ; for into the depths of hell shall he cast your soul, the very instant he has inflicted the fatal stroke upon your body. Ah ! brethren, will ye not tremble at this menace ? Will ye still account it a light matter either out- wardly to deride, or imvardly to despise, a child of God ? Beware, I pray you, of your impending danger : and, if ye will not seek to become heirs of salvation yourselves, at your peril lift not up your finger against one that is. If this be mans threatening, disregard it ; but, if it be God's, know that ye cannot hope for success in fighting against God.]
3. How excellent a work is that of ministering to the saints !
[It has been shewn that this is an office which even the angels themselves affect. And that they do perform it, is not merely asserted in our text, but assumed as a fact that is undoubted and unquestionable : " Are they not ministering spirits? are they not all sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation ? " Is there so much as one amongst them all that accounts himself too high to wait upon the least and lotvest of the human race ? If then such be their employ- ment, see what an honourable office those amongst ourselves sustain who are labouring in any way for the good of souls ! They are fellow-workers with angels, yea, and fellow-workers with God also. Engage then in this good work, all of you,
u Matt, xviii. G, 10. " Rev. vi. 10.