Angels and Men

 The Scriptures give us an account of the divine conduct towards two sorts of rational creatures: angels and men. And from thence, we may also learn the wise variety of the divine dispensations towards them. A part of the angels were preserved in their primitive state of holiness; and a part of them were allowed to fall into sin. But the whole human race was permitted to fall—and not one of them continued in their original state of integrity. A part of the angels are happy for ever; and so is a number of mankind. But here lies the difference: the angels are continued in a state of happiness, from which they never fell; but the saved from among men are recovered from a state of sin and misery, into which they fell—to a state of happiness, which they had entirely lost. The angels are entitled to happiness upon the footing of a covenant of works—to which they have yielded perfect obedience; but men are saved entirely upon the plan of the covenant of grace—on account of the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to them and accepted for them, though it is not originally their own. The angels having never offended, have no need of a Mediator, or of redemption through his blood. But it is through a Mediator alone—that guilty mortals have access to God; and they owe their salvation to his death. As to the fallen angels—there was no Savior provided for them; but to us fallen men—is born a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. They were never placed in a second state of trial, or under a dispensation of grace—but given up to irrecoverable ruin immediately, upon their first apostasy; but our guilty race is placed under a dispensation of grace, and made probationers, for a happy immortality after their first fall. The devils are irrecoverably lost for lack of a Savior—but the sinners from among men perish by the neglecting a Savior. All the fallen angels, without exception, are remedilessly miserable; but only a part of mankind share in their doom. The angels stood every one for himself—but Adam was constituted our representative; our concerns were lodged in his hands, and we fell in him. Samuel Davies

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