His is "the army of heaven." The different orders of holy angels are all his hofts, his "mini❝fters that do his pleafure." He employs them as ministers both of providence and grace, and as inftruments either of judgment, or of mercy. By an angel, the vain-glorious Herod is fmitten h, and by an angel the faithful fervant of Jesus is delivered. Sometimes one of these heavenly meffengers fweeps away embattled hofts with "the "befom of deftruction." Thus an angel fimote, in the camp of the Affyrians, an hundred fourfcore and five thoufand *. At other times, an army of angels is employed as a guard to one man. When the king of Syria fought to make Elifha his prifoner, and fent to Dothan "horfes, "and chariots, and a great hoft," which compaffed the city; "behold, the mountain," on which it was built, "was full of horfes and chariots of "fire round about Elifha!." When the angels of God met Jacob on his way to his father's house, he faid, "This is God's hoft m." "Are they not "all miniftering fpirits, fent forth to minifter to "the heirs of falvation ?" He hath alfo legions of devils at his command, whom he employs, either for the trial of his faints, as in the experience of Job"; or for the punishment of his adverfaries, as we learn from the account given of his judgments on the Egyptians; "He caft upon them the fiercenefs of his anger, "wrath and indignation, and trouble, by fending " evil i Acts xii. 7. II. h Acts xii. 23. 12 Kings vi. 15. 17. m Gen. xxxii. 1, 2. k 2 Kings xix. 35. n Job i. 12. ; ii. 6. "evil angels among them." These hellish hofts acknowledged Jefus as their Lord; confeffing that he had power to torment them, or to fend them whitherfoever he pleased. Wicked men muft alfo be numbered among his hofts. For he "maketh the wrath of man to "praise him; the remainder of wrath fhall he "reftrain." Hence he calls Nebuchadnezzar his fervant P and all wicked men are his fervants in the fame fenfe for he overrules their very wickednefs for accomplishing his own purposes. "His "fervants they are to whom they obey:" and although disobedient to the precept, they, without any intention on their part, as well as without any constraint on his, fulfil the purpose. For accomplishing his defigns of judgment, often he employs them against one another. Thus did he teftify his difpleasure with the Midianites 9, and afterwards with the Philiftines, when they fought the deftruction of his people. He "fet every "man's fword against his fellow." Often hath he employed them as his inftruments in punishing a profeffing people for their iniquities. Sennacherib, notwithstanding all his boasting and ftoutnefs of heart against the God of Ifrael, was only his fword. That God, whom he blafphemed, had fent him, although he knew it not, " against an "hypocritical nation." He was merely executing a commiffion, which he could not read; and fulfilling all God's counfel, although he viewed it as o Pfal. lxxviii. 49. r1 Sam. xiv. 20. p Jer. xxvii. 6. 9 Judg. vii. 22. as wholly his own s. Often also have the wicked been employed as inftruments of deliverance to the Church. The kings of the Medes invaded Chaldea, with no other defign than to gratify their ambition or revenge. But it was the purpofe of the Moft High to break in pieces the proud empire of Babylon, that his captives might be delivered. He therefore defcribes the plan, preparations, warlike operations and fuccefs, as proceeding wholly from himfelf: and, to exprefs the abfolute certainty of the event, although at the distance of fome centuries, he employs füch language as if he rather declared what was paft, than foretold what was future. He appears as a fovereign leader, iffuing forth his orders to his vaffals, which they muft neceffarily execute; nay, as an invifible, but all-powerful agent, influencing all their counfels. "Make bright the arrows; gather the fhields: the LORD hath raised up "the fpirit of the kings of the Medes: for his "device is against Babylon, to destroy it; be"cause it is the vengeance of the LORD, the ven 86 geance of his temple.-The LORD of Hofts hath "fworn by himself, faying, Surely I will fill thee "with men as with caterpillars.-Set ye up a "standard in the land, blow the trumpet among "the nations, prepare the nations against her: "call together against her the kingdoms of Ara"rat, Minni and Afhchenaz, appoint a captain "against her, cause the horses to come up as the "rough caterpillars. Prepare against her the na❝tions s Ifa. x. 5.-7. "tions with the kings of the Medes, the captains "thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the "land of his dominion." Obferve how he describes the cruel Medes and Perfians, and the other heathen nations whom he was pleafed to employ in this work :-" I have commanded my fanctified "ones, I have alfo called my mighty ones for "mine anger, even them that rejoice in my high"nefs. The noife of a multitude in the moun"tain, like as of a great people: a tumultuous "noife of the kingdoms of nations gathered toge"ther: the LORD of hosts muftereth the hosts of "the battle. They come from a far country, " even the LORD and the weapons, of his indig"nation to deftroy the whole land "." His own people may juftly be reckoned among his hofts. The typical Ifraelites are denominated. "the hofts of JEHOVAH W." This name especially refpects the Church under the New Teftament, confifting of converts belonging to every kindred; and therefore called "the goodly heritage of the "hofts of nations." The Church appears "ter"rible as an army with banners." All her genuine members have been "volunteers in the day of his power." They have enlifted under his banner. He employs them in his wars. He teaches their hands to war, and their fingers to fight. He manages them in a different manner from that in which he exercises his power over the wicked. He works in them, not in oppofition to their own intentions, but according to the habitual t Jer. li. 11. 14. 27, 28. x Jer, iii. 19. u Ifa. xi. 3.-5. w Exod. xii. 41. bitual inclinations of their hearts, as renewed by his grace. They obey his will on earth, in refemblance of the holy army above. Like the angels of bliss, they in their inferior degree are "his hofts, his minifters, that do his pleasure." It is therefore their daily prayer; Thy will be “done on earth, as it is in heaven." They have "a leader and commander," who conducts them to certain victory. They 66 overcome Satan, 'through the blood of the Lamb, and the word "of their teftimony." They alfo overcome the world. And, what is more than either; they are conquerors over themfelves. Employing them as his hofts, he brings glory to his name by the warfare itfelf, and by its happy termination. This character is in a peculiar fenfe conferred on his fervants in the miniftry. When the Levites were admitted into the fervice of God, they were faid to " enter into the hoft," and to "war "the warfare." Hence this very language is adopted by the apostle Paul, when addreffing Timothy and the minifters of the New Testament, in declaring the glad-tidings of falvation, are described as a great hoft or army: " JEHO"VAH gave the word: Great was the army of "thofe that published it a." The fame defignation is given to the heavenly bodies. Hence are they so often called "the host "of heaven;" not merely as fignifying their number, but their order, beauty, and conftant obedience y Num. iv. 3. 23. a Pfal. lxviii. II. z 1 Tim. i. 18.; 2 Tim. ii. 3. 4. Deut. iv. 19; Isa. xxxiv. |