THE JOY OF ANGELS.

OUR Saviour tells us, that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."It is a sensation of delight felt in heaven upon a sinner's repentance-a joy over every single penitent sinner, and a joy among the angels. What a wonderful thing it is that there should be in heaven that perfect, intimate knowledge of what is done upon earth,-or even of that which is only felt here, and which, in the first instance, is altogether unobserved by men; because it is a matter of individual consciousness and feeling.— Amidst the many great events and wonderful things, in which we might suppose heaven would take an interest, and the news of which it would eagerly receive, there are few of us who would have selected this as the chief. We might think that the angels of God would have other subjects which would engage their attention; and that there would either be no knowledge of men's affairs in that world, or else, that it would be limited to what we call great events, and splendid actions, the rise and fall of empires-the birth and death of kings-the progress of science-the discoveries of philosophers, or the revolutions and changes in society. These are some of the things which men might deem worthy of the attention of higher beings-and fit to interest the lofty intellects of angels; since on earth the messengers fly swiftly, and the posts hasten in all

directions to convey intelligence of such matters; and all ears are open, and all tongues eloquent in the communication of them. But what a different world is that from this of our's! There the angelic messengers convey tidings of a very different kind. That which is here blown by the blast of fame half the world around, and throws empires and continents into excitement, there produces no sensation at all. The ripple upon our waters never reaches that shore :-But these tidings of a repenting sinner, which on earth few would suspend their occupations to hear-and scarce one thinks it worth while to impart to another;—are there communicated to all-listened to with delight and exultation.

The news that reaches that world-the news that is most welcome-is news of repentance and conversion,— its commencement, progress, and consummation. They see in the embryo of a repenting thought, all its blessed fruits and happy issues. They see the sting of the old serpent extracted from the heart of a sinner-the wounded spirit healed the soul returning to God.The angel of the bottomless pit drops the key from his hand, and the accuser of the brethren stands speechless in God's court. They no sooner hear the prodigal son saying within himself, "I will arise and go to my father," than they already anticipate the feast that makes all the house glad. The sound salutes their ear, the feeling throbs through their heart ;-" This my son was dead, but is alive again; was lost, and is found." They see in repentance the death-wound given to sin, and at once they celebrate its obsequies. The resurrection of the soul from its state of spiritual death, is to them a triumph by grace over the powers of darkness, a victory more glorious than ever conquerors achieved.

It marks an era, and they hallow it as the birth-day of another heir of immortality.

These are the events with which the eye of these angelic beings is taken; because they respect the noble nature of man, and contain in them the issues of life eternal. The heavenly hosts then delight to hear that such and such a sinner was smitten under the word of God this day, that a second perceived the inward voice of the Spirit, saying, “Thou art the man," -that another was watched to his closet, and was there seen bathed in tears, while he cried out, or only sighed, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" That such a notorious profligate and blasphemer, who had been forty or fifty years travelling the downward road, was seen to enter the house of God; that such an angel heard him groan in spirit,-" What must I do to escape the wrath to come?" The flag of defiance and rebellion is no sooner pulled down in men's hearts, and the signal of distress hoisted in its stead, than these angels of God see it from afar, and announce it to all their hosts; for since God instantly listens to any expression of humility and contrition, how canthey be ignorant, who are sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation?

When Jonah was divinely constrained to call the Ninevites to repentance, the efficacy of his appeal upon their hearts was instantly perceived in heaven; for the destroying angel that had received his commission, and plumed his wings, and drawn his flaming sword, and stood waiting for the word "Judgment," was superseded by that Angel of mercy, which smote their hearts with the rod of conviction, and brought them instantly to their sackcloth and their knees. The intelligence flew back in the wailings of the people, and the shout

of joy over a whole city of converts, reverberated through the celestial regions before the prophet could be persuaded of the sincerity of their repentance or the certainty of their deliverance.

When salvation came to Zaccheus, and the chief of the publicans repented of his extortions, an angel, swifter than light, bore upward the joyous intelligence that the divine truth of Jesus had turned a heart of stone into one of flesh; that the churl had become bountiful, and the oppressor just. When the sinful woman fell down at Jesus's feet, washed them with her tears, and wiped them with her hair; while the disciples wondered and understood not, and Simon was ready to repel the intruder, all heaven was ringing with the joy of such a trophy of sovereign grace.

When Saul of Tarsus was smitten to the ground by the brightness of the Saviour's countenance, stayed in his mad career of blood, and pierced to the heart by the touching words, "Why persecutest thou me ?" the disciples at Damascus and Jerusalem knew nothing of it; but the ministering spirit perceived his contrition, and bare the news direct to the heavenly region; he told that a chief persecutor was become a penitent, that a bitter foe was transformed into a friend. We may sometimes think it strange, that these things, which excite so little attention here, and produce so faint a sensation on earth as scarce to be perceived at all, or at the utmost, only by a few, should be deemed of such importance, and be communicated with such rapture. But the angels know the nature of repentance, and perceive its effects better than we do. They always regard the soul, and look forward to eternity. They respect the glory of God in the sanctification and salvation of his human creatures. They know how the blessing. of

grace may be communicated from heart to heart, how one may convert another, and though they cannot and may not do the work, yet they both may and do rejoice supremely, whenever it is done. They know that one penitent sinner converted, like Saul, may announce the glad tidings, which they cannot announce, to many nations; and that the emotion, excited in one place, may spread to many others. Thus the fact of a single sinner repenting, is by them deemed well worthy of all the interest they can attach to it, and of all the joy they can express.

It is, then, a matter of reproach, that the repentance of a sinner engages so little attention, and is felt to be a subject of so little joy on earth. Few feel it to be a subject of chief delight-few labour to effect it-few make it a matter of fervent prayer-few exult when it takes place. It is not so above: all the angels gather round the messenger, who brings the happy tidings. But many even of the acknowledged people of God on earth never seem to have felt the joy, never to have entered into it as a matter of interest to themselves. Surely all, who are on the Lord's side, ought to be far more diligent in endeavouring to bring sinners to repentance; and surely those who are doing it ought to feel a greater delight, and display far more enthusiasm in their work!