heighten their Love and Gratitude to God, through whofe gracious Affiftances they were enabled to overcome fuch formidable Adverfaries. What a glorious Scene will open, when in the great Day of final Retributions, they fhall celebrate a joyful Triumph over the Devil and his Angels, who shall then receive the just Punishment of their Crimes, and fhall never have it in their Power to tempt or disturb God's faithful Servants any more. These general Hints may fuffice, with regard to the Administrations of Divine Providence towards good and evil Angels. So much is revealed to us concerning this Matter as may be of Use to our Conduct in this prefent State; and this is all that is neceffary for us now to know. I fhall conclude with a few Reflections. And first, How awful and glorious is God the univerfal Sovereign, as extending his mighty Sway over all the angelic Orders, the most eminent and powerful of created Beings! It would be too mean and narrow a Notion of the divine Dominion, to regard Men as the only or principal Subjects of his Empire. Thousands of Angels ftand before him, and Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand minifter unto him; compared with whom, the mightieft earthly Potentates, and all the Force of their dreaded dreaded Armies, are mean and despicable Things. With what deep Veneration and Submiffion should we proftrate ourselves before his infinite Majefty, who doeth whatsoever he willeth, not only among the Inhabitants of the Earth, but among the Armies of Heaven, whom the Thrones and Dominions, the Principalities and Powers in heavenly Places, with the profoundest Reverence adore, and before whom the Devils themselves do tremble! How great must he be who giveth Laws to the vast World of Spirits, and governeth them in all their Claffes and Degrees, and according to their various Circumftances and Capacities! And what inexcufable Folly and Prefumption would it be in fuch Creatures as we are, that dwell in Houses of Clay, whofe Foundation is in the Duft, to oppose ourselves to his rightful Authority, who hath all the Hofts of Angels under his Direction and Command! Secondly, Since the holy Angels in their feveral Degrees are under the Dominion and Government of God, let us rejoice in them as our Fellow-fervants, Subjects with us of the fame glorious Lord; we must not adore them, but join with them in adoring the great God and Father of all. Tranf ported with a divine Ardor of Spirit, let us with the devout Pfalmift call upon the I 3 Angels, Angels, the most eminent Part of the rational Creation, to bless the Lord, and endeavour to awaken in our Souls the holy Affections of Love, Joy, and Admiration, to the great Sovereign, and Benefactor of the Univerfe. How fhould we exult to think that we are under his happy Government, to whom numberless Myriads of holy and glorious Spirits pay their glad united Homage. We fhould not only as far as we are able join our Praises to theirs, and bear our Part in the glorious Confort, but fhould endeavour to imitate and resemble them more and more in their perfect Loyalty and Submiffion, and their chearful active Obedience to the divine Will. They readily apply themselves to whatever Services he puts them upon, and esteem it their Glory to be thus employed, even when fent to minifter to us of the human Race, who are Creatures of an inferior Order. And fhall we think it beneath us to minifter to those of our own Blood, and who are Partakers of the fame Nature with ourselves? Like the bleffed Angels, let us engage with Alacrity and Delight in whatfoever Services God requireth of us, endeavouring to do his Will on Earth, as it is done in Heaven. By fuch a Temper and Conduct we shall cultivate a Harmony with thefe glorious Spirits, and fhall have them to to affift and befriend us here on Earth, and be fitted for the heavenly Jerufalem, the City of the living God, where we shall be affociated to an innumerable Company of Angels, and shall be Sharers with them in the fame blissful Exercises and Enjoyments for ever. Thirdly, This Subject may be improved for fupporting and fortifying our Hearts against the flavish Fears of evil Spirits. Some there are who, through Fear of this Kind, are all their Life-time subject to Bondage. But the best Preservative against this, is a fteady Belief of God's univerfal Government as extending to the evil Angels themselves. They are all under the Check and Control of his wife and righteous Providence, and can do no more than he permitteth. Let us therefore place our Confidence in him, and endeavour to fecure an Interest in his Favour, and then we need not fear what all the Powers of Hell can do against us. Laftly, Let us take Warning from the Fall and Punishment of the evil Angels. In them we may fee, that no Eminences of Power, Abilities, or Splendor, can secure any Creatures against the Wrath of God, or can hinder them from being miserable if they allow themselves in a Course of wil |