fully describing the rise and fall of various great empires, and of the care himself and Michael the archangel had over the destinies of the Jews. He told him also that from the day Daniel set his heart to understand and to chasten himself, (not by flagellations with a whip, &c. as some fanatics or deceivers have done,) before God, that he had desired to come to him, and to instruct him in a knowledge of future events; but that the prince of the kingdom of Persia, withstood him from doing so, one and twenty days; but lo Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help

him.

We wish to notice in particular in this place one expression, as pertinent to the idea of different orders of angels, and this is it— "lo Michael, one of the chief princes came to help me." By which we understand that as Michael was one of those chief princes among the angelic orders, that there are also other princes, or it could not have been said with propriety that he was one of them. From which account it appears that we here ascertain certainly three different orders of being; first, the glorious angel, who is particularly described above, and who conversed with Daniel: and second, Michael the archangel, who came to help him against the prince of Persia, an evil angel, who opposed the interests of the Jews in the mind of Cyrus: and another angel who is denominated the prince of Grecia, who was to come as soon as this glorious angel, who had communed with Daniel, had gone forth from him.

But why did this evil angel, called the prince of Persia, oppose himself to those other angels, who were favorable to the interests of the Jews? (For this was the case; as appears by the statement of the angel who had conversed with Daniel, who said to him, at last, when he had caused him to know, and to understand fully, why he had visited him, that he would then return to fight with this prince of Persia,) because it is likely he knew that if the Jewish nations could by any means be prevented rebuilding their ruined city walls and temple, and restoring their religion, with all its typical observances and moral influence, which had ceased during their captivity at Babylon; that this people with their religion, would be entirely lost among the pagan nations. By this means, he hoped to prevent the coming of the Messiah into the world; and therefore fought against all impressions made on the mind of Cyrus, the monarch of the Persians, by Michael, Gabriel and other spiritual beings, who favored the Jews in the holy enterprise. And this is what is meant, when it is said that the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood the glorious angel one and twenty days, which was exactly the number of days which Daniel prayed and chastened himself and what was also meant by his saying, "and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia." It will not do to say, in order to get rid of the being of those spirits, that this prince of Persia

fully describing the rise and L. of vanny Fre the care himself and Mactae te era

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kingdom of Persia whimet nimiran pomer su ty days; but lo Michaël me of the me

him.

We wish to notice in parcuri the Las onNG EXITESSION, E pertinent to the idea of afere "lo Michael one of the che parte emne i DET DE IST which we understand that a Muse was one of the he princes among the angein men thr there are as other wil ces, or it could no te te su vit me that tK VE one of them. From vui acum r amean that we her as certain certainly te afere orgen o veng ins, the coous angel who put her arms and v 201 versed with Ince, wit perunt. Vrtne the arcuatge VII came to help him agnes the pins of Persa a ei age v opposed the interests of the Jen the mut of

HTother angel whos derommet the remes of Greci v ves to come as soon as to giro age, vi at communet v Daniel had ge fri from um.

But why he tu eri are caleć fie prms of Ferme m pose himself to the other anges vir ve free : The interests of the Jewn! For is vas the case a Reas by the statement of the ange vir that conveneet vit Daniel vir swić to him, at last, whet be bad caused tim ir bury and it understand fully be ind Trines fom, that he volat, then TERITE 10 fight with this gras of Persa beans I # LEAT be knew that if the Jewish atoms could be at meats be prevented sencla ing their ramed any walks and see and resting her religie, with all its typical posaries and cord inekce which had ceased during therapy a Barice: a tus perçie wih their reli would be envy is among the paw TuckES By this mean be boped to prevent the coming of the Messiah into the wond: and therefore fongs an INS made on the mind of Cyma de march of the Persons be Michael, Gabriel and other spinel bemes, who favored the Jews in the boy exsers. And as The F meant, when it glorious angel one and twenty days, which was exactly the num is said that the price of the kingdom of Persia withstood the ber of days which Daniel prayed and chastened himself-and what was also meant by his saying, and now will I retUIN KO fight with the prince of Persia. It will not do to say, in order to get rid of the being of those spirits, that this prince of Persia

was Cyrus, because he was then favorable to the restoration of the Jews and their religion, and had given orders exceedingly 'strict and broad, about the rebuilding of the walls of the city, temple, &c. This glorious angel therefore, who said he would return from Daniel to fight with the prince of Persia, was a spirit, and meant that he would go and counteract the impressions of this evil spirit on the mind of Cyrus and his people, lest the Jews and their works should be defeated. (See the Plate.) Can / this account mean anything else? if it does, we do not perceive it.

But who was this Michael, called one of the chief princes, who aided the glorious angel in his labors for the Jews; was he of earth, a mere man, or of heaven, a spiritual being? St. Jude settles this question, who says, "Michael the arch angel; who contended with the devil about the body of Moses," which shows him to have been a supernatural being or he could not have thus contended in an unseen manner; for if Michael and this being called the devil, were mere men, and contended respecting what should be done with the body of that great Jewish legislator; the Jews would have known this, and the place of his burial would have been known also, which the Scripture says, is unknown, and that the Lord buried him. See Deut. xxxiv. 5, 6. John the Revelator, corroborates St. Jude in this thing. See chapter xii. 7, who speaks of him (Michael) as being at the head of those angels who kept their first estate; who stood fast during their probation, or trial: and that he, with his angels fought against the dragon and his angels, even in heaven: who were cast out; of which we shall more fully treat, by and by.

But in Hebrews, ii. 6, 7, there is an account, which places this subject beyond controversy, as both the natures of men and angels are there distinguished, and spoken of, allowing one to be superior to the other; as follows: "What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the Son of man, that thou visiteth him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels: thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands." The term man, as above used, stands for the whole species. But if the beings, called angels-mentioned in the passage are said to be above the race of man-which is implied, when it is said that "man was made a little lower than the angels," then the two kinds of beings are distinct from each other, in their very natures; so that the opinion as held by many Universalists, namely: that the term angels, as used in the Scriptures, is always restricted to, and signifies men, messengers of men, and no more: falls to the ground, from the force of that one passage in Hebrews, while it is corroborated by many others, and the whole sense of the whole Bible, on that subject. The words of Christ himself prove this doctrine, beyond all possible contradiction. See Matthew xxvi. 53, where the ac count of his apprehension in the garden of Gethsemane is given: