The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University

Hence 'tis rendered exceeding probable that the angels were not confirmed till Christ's ascension. For by what has been now said, it appears that the proper condition of their reward or wages must be their faithfulness in that special service that God made them for, or was the end of their beings; but that was to be ministering spirits to Christ, in the great work ofMS: "redemption." his exalting and glorifying beloved mankind. But the angels had not any great opportunity to do this business till this work of Christ's glorifying mankind had been carried on considerably in the world; nor had they the proper and chief trial whether they would submit to the service of being subservient to Christ in the work of redemption of fallen men, till that

work of redemption was wrought, and Christ had gone through his humiliation, and it was seen whether they would submit to serve, obey and adore their appointed head and king in his abject meanness, and when set at naught and abased to hell for beloved, though sinful, vile men.