Good and Evil Angels in Preaching

We gather from our Lord’s parable of the sower, as expounded by Himself, that Satan busily endeavours to counteract the preaching of the Gospel; for it is said, in explanation of the seed sown by the way-side--” When any one heareth the Word of the Kingdom, and understandeth it, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.” There is no interpretation to be put upon this, save that the devil is ever watching the effect wrought by the ilelivery of the Word, and that, with an earnestness only equalled by his malice, he labours to thwart it, whensoever it threatens to be injurions to his power. And if evil angels be thus present at the preaching of the Gospel, in the hope of making it ineffectual, why should we doubt that good angels are present, to strive to gain it place, and give it impressiveness? The efforts of the one are met by precisely antagonistic efforts on the part of the others, every mine having its countermine; so that if they who are against us labour to catch away the Word, they who are for us labour to imprint it.