* The term angel signifies a messenger.  If glorified saints are used to carry God’s messages, or sent to do his business, they are made angels, in the proper sense of the word.  Such appear to have been the angelic band, who united in praising God, when the Lamb prevailed to open the book of his decrees and reveal them to the apostle—­“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy—­for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God, kings and priests:  And we shall reign on the earth.” * Surely these must have been of our race.

* REVELATION v. 9, 10.

Here our proof in explicit.  We can conceive of no evasion.  Two of our race who had long before been removed from earth to heaven, were certainly sent to visit the Savior, just before this sufferings —­Moses and Elias, who attended him on the mount, whither he retired with three of his disciples, and conversed with him in their presence.  St. Luke hath described their appearance, and told the subject of their conversation—­“Who appeared, in glory and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.” *

* Luke ix. 29.

Moses had then been dead more than fourteen centuries.  Elias had not tasted death, but he had been changed.  That change had passed upon him which will pass on the saints who shall be alive at Christ’s coming.  The change must have been great, or he could not have ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire, or lived above the region of air which surrounds this globe.

These two saints, seem, on this occasion, to have been assimilated to each other—­“They both appeared in glory”—­were company for each other, and sent together to testify for Christ, before chosen witnesses.  Our Savior’s resurrection was also attended by witnesses who had been for time in the world of spirits—­“And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” *

* Matthew xxvii. 52, 53.

But it is only departed saints who are employed to bear God’s messages.  There is no intimation in scripture, that those who die in their sins, are afterwards sent, or suffered to go abroad.  There is reason to believe, that as the saints are made perfect at death, so all that bears an affinity to goodness, ceases at that period, in the unrenewed, and that they put on the complete image of him who is termed their father.  If this is the case, they would spread mischief and misery, were they permitted access to those who remain in the body, and liable to temptation.  However this might be, we are assured that they are confined in the infernal prison, and will continue prisoners till the great day.

This is intimated by our Savior, when he warns the sinner to “agree with his adversary quickly, while in the way with him—­lest he should be cast into prison”—­because should this happen there will be no release “till he shall pay the utmost farthing.”  This speaks the state of impenitents, to be from the time of their death, that of prisoners, who can neither break their prison, or obtain, so much as a temporary release, till they shall have suffered all their demerits.