venant fidelity, he should die; for, loofing the breath of life, he must of course be a dead

man.

It will alfo be obferved, that the depravity of the fall cannot be contemplated as being merely negative, or the lofs of the image of God; for this covenant, as fhewn, being of the nature of marriage, the breach of it implies being joined to another. A feparation from Chrift can exift only by union with an AntiChrist. An entire feparation from Chrift, and union with the ferpent, being free from righteousness, and filled with all unrighteousness, is the fearful ftate of the apoftacy; and the true statement of the cafe is fufficient to fhew, that without an almighty intervention, the depravity of the fall must have extended univerfally through nature,

THE

DIVINE THEORY.

PART II.

THE ARCHANGEL:

LLUSTRATING THE TRUTH OF CHRIST AS BEING THE HEAD OF THE REDEMPTION-WORLD.

CHAPTER I.

OF THE ELECT ESTABLISHMENT.

Section 1. The Union of the elect World with the Beginning.

THOUGH the elect establishment did not diftinctly open, in our world, till the call of Abraham; yet, as the lines were marked out in the beginning, and it actually took place in the upper world, immediately upon the great apoftacy; from this time we may confider the glorious Lord as entering upon his mediate ftate, and commencing the work of redemption.

By the name of archangel, being compounded of the words beginning and angel, we are reminded, that the fcene immediately opening will be a twofold exhibition, and that views of the fervice-work will be clofely combined with profpects of the fame nature of thofe already contemplated; for the

whole divine exhibition, being one entire work, framed upon one unbroken plan, the foregoing is not fhut by the opening of a following scene; but the work of exhibiting the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, is continually proceeding on from glory to glory.

It has already been hinted, that the glory of the approaching day will confift of the exhibition in one full view of the univerfe, of the threefold glory of Chrift, viz. the glory of the Beginning, in the most perfect state of the creation; the glory of the angel, in the illuftrious proofs of his merit and honor, as he will appear covered with the wounds and fears of the faith and patience of the militant ftate; and the glory of the Son of God, in the open fhew of his victory, by the prefentment of his trophies in the full affembly of the church triumphant,

Section 2. The Divinity of the Archangel.

In this place, it will be proper to notice the fcripture evidence of the divine character of the archangel, and that he is none other than the Lord Chrift.-Among the angels of God, no doubt, there is a natural chief; one, whofe proper name is Michael, and who, on account of his highest poft and command, from their first eftate, bare among them the diftinguishing title of archangel; but, upon the awful emergency of the breaking out of a

rebellion, when Chrift himfelf flood forward to defend their ground of truth, this mighty angel willingly gave up to him his command, his title, and his name; and as Chrift went in perfon into the field, as commander in chief of God's hofts, he was known among them by the proper name and title of their Angelic Commander.

The reprefentations which are made under this character are fuch, as fometimes lead us neceffarily to conceive of the Lord himfelf; at other times, however, another diftinét perfon is moft naturally underflood; as in 1 Theff. iv. 16. where it is faid, The Lord himself fhall defcend from heaven with a fhout, with the voice of the ARCHANGEL: So that to explain and reconcile thefe representations, it appears neceffary to adopt the above hypothefis, that two perfons may be intended by this fame name.

Among the evidences, that this glorious. angel, fo diftinguished in the affairs of the holy people, is the Lord Chrift, the following paffages may be noticed. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the fecond time, And faid, By myfelf have Ifworn, faith the Lord, for because thou haft done this thing, and haft not withheld thy fon, thine only fon: That in bleffing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy feed as the ftars of heaven, and as the fand which is upon the fea fhore; and thy feed fhall poffefs the gate of his enemies; And in thy feed fhall all the nations of the earth be bleffed; becaufe thou haft obeyed my voice. Gen. xxii.

45, 16, 17, 18-The angel which redeemed me from all evil, blefs the lads. Gen. xlviii, 16 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midfi of a bush: and he looked, and behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not confumed.-Moreover he faid, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob. And Mofes hid his face: for he was afraid to look upon God. Exod. iii. 2-6.-Behold, I fend an angel before thee, to keep thee in thy way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.-Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not: for he will not pardon your tranfgreffions: for my name is in him, Exod. xxiii. 20, 21.-And in all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his prefence faved them. Ifai. Ixiii. And they anfwered the angel of the Lord that food among the myrtle trees, &c. Zech. i. 11, -The prophet called this angel that talked with him his Lord. See verfe 9. The angel of God, whofe I am, and whom I ferve. Acts xxvii. 23.-And the angel which I faw stand upon the fea, and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and fware by him that liv th for ever and ever, that there fhould be time no longer. Rev. x. 5, 6.-Hagar called the name of the angel that spake unto her, Thou God feeft me, Gen. xvi. 13. And Jacob was called ifrael, power with God, becaule he had power over the angel, and prevailed. Hofea xii, 4.—It may, be obferved in all thefe initances, that angel is Chrift's mediate or fervice-name, and refers to him as being engaged in the work of redemption..