ioned in the Old Testament, and is he
not there represented as an evil and malevolent angel? I think not.
This notion probably arises from the habit of interpreting the Old
Testament by the New. The Satan mentioned in the Old Testament,
is represented as God's minister of punishment, and as much his
faithful servant as any of his angels. The prologue to the book of
Job certainly supposes that this angel of punishment, by office,
appeared in the court of Heaven, nay, he is ranked among "the
Sons of God." This Satan is merely the supposed chief of those
ministers of God's will, whose office is to execute his ordered
commands upon the guilty, and who may be sometimes, as in the
case of Job, the minister of probation only, rather than of
punishment; and there is no reason why he should be ashamed of
his office more than the General of an army, or the Judges of the
criminal courts, who, though they are not unfrequently ministers of
punishment are not, therefore, excluded the royal presence; but on
the contrary, their office is considered as honourable;--i. e.,
punishment without malevolence, does not pollute the inflictor.
Consider the story of the destruction of Sodom, Genesis xix.; of
Egypt; Exodus xxii.; of Sennacherib, 1 Kings xxix. 35; also Joshua
v. 13. The term Satan signifies an adversary, and is applied to any
angel sent upon an errand of punishment For example, Numbers
xxii. 23, "The Angel of the Lord stood in the way, for an adversary
(literally, for a Satan) against Balaam, with his sword drawn in his
hand." "Curse ye Meroz, saith the Angel of the Lord," whose
office is to punish. So also Psalms xxxv. 5, "Let the Angel (of
punishment) of the Lord chase them, (i. e., drive them before him
in a military manner; pursue them:) let their way be dark and
slippery, and the Angel of the Lord following them."

2 Samuel xxiv. 16:--"The Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel--the
angel (of punishment) stretched forth his hand and smote the
people."--1 Chronicles xxi. 16:--"David saw the angel (of
punishment) having a drawn sword in his hand."

This notion is referred to, in the Apocryphal History of Susannah,
verse 69. "The Angel of the Lord waiteth with his sword that he
may cut thee in two."

Thus we see, that the term Satan is in the Old Testament applied to
any Angel of the Lord sent upon an errand of punishment. And the
term itself is so far from being reproachful (for David is said, 1
Samuel xxix. 4, to have been "a