Angels: God's Messengers--Our Attendants (1)

A Christian has angels to remove the hindrances that are between heaven and him, and that keep him from Christ.
When Christ rose there were angels who told Mary that he was risen. Then at his ascension the angels told the disciples that Christ would come again. From the annunciation of his conception to his ascension angels saw him, and attended on him, and witnessed of him. As soon as he was born, the angels appeared to the shepherds. What a glorious hymn they sang! 'Glory to God on high, peace on earth, good will to men' (Luke 2:14). How joyful they were of the incarnation of Christ, and the great work of redemption wrought by him! They did not only see these things, but they wondered at the love, mercy, and wisdom of God in the Head and members of the church. 'We preach the gospel, which things the angels desire to look into' (1 Pet. 1:12). The very angels desire to pry and look with admiration into the wondrous things of the gospel, and into the 'manifold wisdom of God' (Eph. 3:10) in his governing of the church and his electing and restoring his people. The angels see and wonder at the love and wisdom of God in joining things irreconcilable to man's comprehension, infinite justice with infinite mercy in Christ. Will they wonder at, and joy and delight in it, and will we slight those things that are the wonderment of angels? There is a company of profane people--I would there were not too many among us--who will hardly ever look into these things. They can wonder at a story, or a poem, or some trivial device not worthy to be reckoned. But as for the great mysteries of salvation, the great works of the Trinity, they slight them and never talk seriously of these things, except with a graceless slighting and scorn. These things we dally and trifle with when we should take up our time in studying these transcendent things that go beyond the capacity of the very angels.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Fountain Opened, Works, vol. 5, pp. 496-501
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