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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49761	An history of angells being a theologicall treatise of our communion and warre with them : handled on the 6th chapter of the Ephesians, the 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 verses / by Henry Lawrence ...; Of our communion and warre with angels	Lawrence, Henry, 1600-1664.; Milton, John, 1608-1674.	1649 (1649)	Wing L660; ESTC R12895	135,420	210

God onely to be without beginning so it belongs to God onely to be without change or shadowe of change and that the Angells as creatures are reduceable to nothing by the same hand that made them so as though there be no passive principle in them by which they may be called corruptible or mortall yet in respect of an active power of God upon which their being and life depends they may be called corruptible and mortall because as it is in the power of the Creator that things are so it is in the power of the Creator that they may not bee yea so much they are in Gods hands though the best pieces of nature that if hee doe but withdrawe his hand they all moulder to nothing there neede no great activity be put forth a meere ceasing to uphold them is sufficent to destroy them but yet when yee speake of changeable or corruptible it must be understood of the next and intrinsicall cause and not of the remote and outward cause as men are not called the children of the Sunne though Sol homo generat hominem but of their parents so as the Angells may properly be called incorruptible and immortall because they are so by nature I speake not now of the changeablenesse of their wills but of their nature and substance the reasons are First because the Angells are not produced out of the power of any matter as corporall substances and the soules of beasts but are produced onely by the word of God and therefore as they have no internall principle of being so have they none of dissolution for there is the same reason of being and not being Secondly Angelicall natures as the soules also of men are not compounded of matter forme but are simple formes and substances subsisting by themselves now all corruption mortality and death is by the separation of the forme from the matter as when the soule is separated from the body which is corruption or death or when the accidentall forme is separated from the subject as white from the wall or health from the man now what ever wants matter is incorruptible because there is no composition and so no separation but the Scripture concludes this best in assimulating the state of immortality in which wee shall be to the Angells This is the third consideration wee make of the nature of Angells that they are immutable Fourthly wee will consider of the apparitions of Angells of which wee heare so frequent mention in the Scriptures and the consideration whereof will proove so proper to our purpose One manner of their appearings hath bene in dreames another in visions the third in assumption of bodies and that either of bodies formed of nothing or of pre-existant matter them formed or possessing and acting naturall bodies already made Some have thought there hath bene no assumption of bodies but onely an appearance to the fancy and imagination but that must needs be otherwise for what ever is a substance which is not a body nor hath a body naturally united and yet is sometime seene with a bodily sight or vision must needs take up a body and further this was not an imaginary and phantasticall apparition because such an imagination is not seene by the sences without but by the fancy within 2. An imaginative sight being onely within in the imagination consequently appeares to him onely which so sees it but that which is seene by the eyes because it exists without and not within the minde may be seene also of all others such apparitions were of the Angells that appeared to Abraham to Lott and to the men of Sodome who were seene by them and indifferently by all But if you object to what end was this assumption of bodies since the power of the Angells exceeds all bodily might and this will not be unusefull to consider since it makes way to shew to what end they appeare and what they have done and can doe for us and upon us both the good and bad The Angells assumed bodies for the manifesting themselves not for the doing of their worke but that they might familiarly speake with men without their terrour and dread Aquinas gives other reasons that they might manifest the intelligible society and converse which men expect with them in another life And in the old Testament that it was a certaine figurative declaration that the word of God should take humane flesh for all apparitions in the old Testament were in order to that apparition of the sonne of God in the flesh If you aske mee what kinde of bodies they tooke and whether they were true men or no in taking humane shapes Answ. First though they appeared in a humane shape they were not true men as Christ was a true man because hee was personally and hypostatically united but bodies were not united to the Angells as to their forme as the bodie is to the soule which is its forme nor was the humane nature body and soule united to the person of any Angell but they tooke bodies to them as garments which they tooke up and laid downe upon occasion If you aske of what those bodies consisted It is like ordinarily of some of the Elements as of the ayre And if you object that the ayre is improper to take figure or coulour because it is so thin and transparent The answer is that although the ayre remaining in its rarity doth not reteyne figure or coulour yet when it is condenced and thickened it will doe both as appeares in the clouds Another way of appearing was in possessing some naturall body so the divell entred into the serpent and an Angell spake in Balams Asse so you read often of men possessed with evill Angells the men spake not but the divell in them the like may be said often of the good Now if any shall aske what becomes of those bodies The answer is if they be created of nothing they are reduced into nothing by the power of God But if they be formed of pre-existent matter the worke being done for which they were taken up they are resolved againe into their Elements or Principles but if the bodies were naturall reall and existent before they were left so againe by the departing of the Angells so was Balams asse and many bodies possest by the divells cast out by Christ. Another consideration is whether the Angells having assumed those bodies did put forth acts of life whether they spake and sung or eate and drunke as they seemed to doe this is handled with much controversie but it is certaine they did what they seemed to doe as appeares by the plaine direct story of Moses concerning the Angells that appeared to Abraham and others and this is assur'd that what ever the Angells appeared to have or doe that they had did for they never deceived your sences their coulour their shape their eating their drinking their speaking was what it seemed to be for the sences are not

glory in our condition and to improove it how sweet is our portion the traines the wayes of God are pleasant all his wayes are pleasant and all his pathes prosperity to have naturall desires which exceed not their bound and liberty to satisfy them without the fire the scald the Itch of lusts to have a spirit so great by meeknes and humility as it is above those ills it seemes most to fall under to be be-lowe envye for the world sees not your riches nor your greatnes and above misery and shame to have a spirit so meekned as it cannot breake againe to be above your condition what ever it is and to use it to possesse your estate and not to be possest by it to looke on money as a servant of the lowest forme to pitty them that Idolyze it and to improove more your litle by enjoyment then they doe their riches by looking on it and Idolizing of it Againe to goe further into the consideration of what wee said before and see how you outstrippe them for another life in knowing and loving that which they ignorantly persecute in having your assurance in God whereas they have none at all nor in any thing I could be large heere in the comparison of our service and our way which should be the object of our joy and rejoycing when ever wee thinke of it and thinke of it wee should often for that purpose For since God hath made the miserable condition of the wicked a foyle to the love of his elect wee should do so also and run over by way of comparison the heads and grounds of our comfort but I shall rather in the second place Intreat you to improove these things If you know these things happy are yee if yee doe them if you know the differences of your conditions if you know the wayes of Sathan from your owne and where they part happy are you if you tread those wayes and those paths and for those broade high wayes those common roades these beaten pathes of Hell which wee have described our wisedome and our glory will be to keepe a loofe of to keepe farre from them it will be lesse shame for us to be shamed by other things to be caught by other traines then the common snares Although it be true that in the pursuite of those things Sathan useth his greatest wiles and his finest peeces of subtilty however let us keepe a loofe of let us carry a watchfull eye to those great and common snares the Divell may alter his method but his But and end is the same hee findes these things sutable to corrupt nature and hee improoves all that is within us to worke vilde and base impressions those wayes therefore let us watch him where hee watcheth us and let us not thinke that because wee have escaped the pollution of the world that therefore wee shall escape him hee spinnes his web the finer for you Which is the reason why I have spent sometime in these particulars of his most usuall martches that yee might see the way in some of its foulnesse together with the guide that yee might see the hooke under the bayte and be undeceived in things so greatly concerning you Now therefore having your adversary so fully and largely described to you in his nature in his power in his ministry as hath bene shewed at large in this tract of Angells for some peece of the Divells power you must fetch from what hath bene said of the good Angells that wee might not be obliged to repeate things twise it remaines that wee should fight that is that wee should addresse our selves to the combate for there is in this adversary what ever might prepare you and stirre you up to a most formed and exact warre For first hee is as hath bene shewed a most inveterate and sworne enemy hee ceaseth not to accuse day and night hee knowes all our good lyes in maintaining good tearmes with God Therefore his care is to beget ill blood between us hee inticeth us to offend him and when hee hath done hee aggravates this offence to the utmost capacitie of it Hee goes about like a roaring Lyon hee goes about therefore hee is not idle hee workes continually and it is like a roaring Lyon hee hath not onely a Lyonish nature in him apt to devour and to fall upon the prey but hee is ever roaring that disposition is alwayes wound up to the height and intended in him other enemies not so so that heere is the worst disposition that can be imagined ever acted and mannaged with the greatest intensenesse But then secondly if his evill nature had not much power joyned to it hee were lesse considerable lesse formidable though wee say there is none so weake but hee hath power to doe hurt But I beseech you consider his power is fitted to his nature if hee meane ill hee is able to doe also much ill there is no part or faculty of your soule or body that hee cannot reach and that at all times in all conditions in all postures alone or in company idle or imployed sleeping or waking when you are fit for nothing els you are fit to receive his impressions Nor is hee an enemy of the weaker sort and so lesse considerable an arme of flesh against poore fleshly creatures is great but hee is a spirit Our originall sin our fleshly corruptions wee finde evill enough enemies bad enough even to the making us cry out with Paul of the body of death But we wrestle not against flesh blood this text tells you you have another kinde of combatant for the description of whose power to finde fit names the highest comparisons will faile us Principalityes powers rulers spirituall wickednesses above They are not called Princes but principalityes not Potentes but Potestates not mighty but powers Lord not of a part but of the whole world of the darknesse of the world all the wicked of the world which are darknesse are of their side fight under them against us and all the darknes in our owne harts is with them also all those fumes and foggs of lusts all those mists of ignorance and unbeliefe are part of his armie Againe instead of wicked spirits they are called spirituall wickednesses and that above both in high things and in high places they are above us they hang over our heads continually You know what a disadvantage it is to have your enemy get the Hill the upperground this they have naturally and alwayes Againe there are enough of them they can immediately beleaguer a man cōpassing him round possesse every part of him Seaven Divells can enter at once into one man or if need be a whole legion doe wee beleeve these things and are wee not stirred are wee not affraid if we apprehend the approach of an enemy and the towne wherein wee are be in danger what wringing of hands is there what praying what provision and yet perhaps hee may be diverted hee

reliefe to deale with your enemies as David did your faith is your victory whereby you overcome the world 1. Iohn 5.4 that is in Christ it is the power of his might that makes us strong Christ hath a might a mighty abilitie hee is endowed with power from above which being put forth in us gives us a power to be strong and to stand our ground as ver 10. for in those words the habit seemes to be distinguish't from the energy and operation when a man is acted by the Divell either by an immediate possession or some eminent strong way of lusting that hee is strong in the Divell and in the power of his might that is you shall finde a power full operation of the might of the Divell upon him so as did wee not see a humane shape wee should thinke it were the Divell indeed so greatly is his might acted upon men with power Now after this manner should wee be strong in the Lord by the influence of his spirit by the strength of his armour other strengths will proove but weaknesse so much for that point Secondly it is not without its observation that it is called heere and before the whole armour of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no man pretends so little to religion but hee will doe a little hee will pretend to some graces hee will make some sallyes as if hee would fight but the difficulty and the wisedome and the strength lyes in the universality there is a chaine in graces you loose all if you loose one as Iames saith Hee that breakes one command is guilty of all and God that gives you armes not to clog you but to defend you hath given you nothing to much it is not the beauty but the use of an armed man which hee considers That place which is open to be sure the Divell will strike in for hee knowes the bare places and one open place will serve to kill you aswell as an hundred therefore God hath made a defence for all therefore the Scripture calls for a growing up in all grace or in all things Eph. 4.15 2. Pet. 1.5 Therefore Peter calls for an addition of one grace to another till you be compleate Adde saith hee to your faith vertue c. For if these things be in you and abound that is if you have all those parts and that in a way of height and eminency if they be not scanty and narrow then you will abound also that is you will neither be barren nor unfruitfull I beseech you consider this it is the universality it is the whole armour of God that will alone serve our turnes and which alone wee sticke at All difficulty lyes in exactnesse in bringing things to their end and their perfection every one is a beginner and a pretender to learning to knowledge to arts to religion it self but the exactnes the universality is the portion but of a few let us doe otherwise How good is God who hath given us a whole armour let us not shew our selves at once enemyes to our selves and unthankfull to him unlesse wee feare neither God nor the Divell on the other side let this comfort us that there is a whole armour there is a whole Divell that nature is improoved to the utmost capacity of a rationall nature for ill for hurt if there were not a whole armour wee were undone Thirdly wee are commanded to take unto us this whole armour of God and ver 11. to put it on God makes it God gives it hee makes it efficacious but there are our parts also wee must take it to us and put it on there is a sluggishnesse in mens natures if God would doe all and men might sleepe the whilest perhaps they would lye still and let him trusse on their armour but this is not the law wee live by this is not the tearmes wee stand in with God what wee cannot doe God will doe for us but what wee can doe that wee must doe Hee doth not worke with us as wee worke with a hatchet or a dead instrument but as the soule workes with the body that is in it and by it so as the body doth its part and feeles the labour the soule at first gives life to our body so doth God to our soules when they are dead in sins and trespasses hee quickens them Also the soule gives guidance to the body and direction and assistance so doth God hee never failes us hee is still by us at our right hands but wee have our parts our reason and understandings our will and our affections they come into play every day and if God can do nothing by them hee will do nothing without them This when men beleeve so much in other things as they will scarce trust God with any thing they will see a reason and a meanes sufficient to produce every event they will be at every end of every businesse why doe they devolue all upon him in religion without stirring at all Because they minde it lesse which is the meanes to make God minde it not at all Therefore I beseech you let us do our parts fetch assistance from God and worke under him receive influence and spirit from him and use them intend mightily what wee doe for it is to God and for him those that worke under any Agent though never so mighty do so and this know that the more mighty any supreane Agent is the more it intends imployes and fills the instrument as hee that serves a wise man though hee do nothing but by the direction and appoyntment of his master yet hee shall finde his understanding intended and imployed for a wise directer doth more intend and fill the subordinate instruments and Agents not contra Now hee comes to the end and use of the Armour that they might be able to stand in the evill day and having done all to stand the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to resist to stand against you see heere is a reall combate as your enemies are great which you have heard of before so is the combate it will cost you resisting and fighting and there is a day appointed for it an evill day that is a day of battaile our whole life is so many evill dayes therefore sayes the Apostle Redeeme your time because the dayes are evill Eph. 5.16 that is troublesome and full of temptations if you would make any thing of your lives of the opportunities you meet with all of the occasions that fall out you must redeeme them a little time and opportunity is worth much it will be lost to you if you redeeme it not So all our dayes are evill as Iacob said but some more especially may be called by way of eminency the evill day All the dayes of Iob were in a manner evill because none were without some molestation and trouble I had no rest sayes hee neither was I in quiet yet trouble came Iob 3.26 But the great evill

deceived about their objects if the distance be proportionable and they no way distempered for if the sences are ordinarily capable of being deceived then you may question any thing subjected to sence as whether the snow be whit c. Now all this they did not by vertue of an internall forme but an Angelicall power quickening and mooving the body they acted and it is observable that when the Angells would hide their natures that they might converse more familiarly with men they would eate and drinke and speake But when they would be acknowledged for Angells then they denied to eate meate as Iudges 6. in the story of Gedion and of Sampson Iudges 13. If you aske what became of the meate they eate for their assumed bodies needed no nourishment I would aske you what became of their bodies their meate aswell as their bodies was reduced into nothing or the pre-existent Elements of which they consisted as that which Christ eate after his resurrection There is one question more in this subject with which I will end and that is Why the Angells make not their operations now as formerly they have done The heathen who were ignorant of the wayes of God ascribe this to the sins of men that God being now displeased with them hath no more minde to converse with them But the reason is quite otherwise because as God would be worshipped in spirit and truth so hee would have us walke in the spirit and converse more with the spirit then formerly and Christ being now in the flesh and in heaven hee would have us live by the faith of him and a greater measure of the spirit being now given hee would have us converse with the spirit and these spirits in a more invisible way As also the Church being now confirmed by God needs not those visible and sensible confirmations as formerly which is the reason also of the ceasing of miracles they were appropriated to the laying of fondations both of the law and the Gospell we walke now in the vertue of these apparitions which were of old and in the power of these miracles and besides wee have faith enableing us to converse with the Angells in a way more spirituall So much for the apparition of Angells First from the immutability of the Angells you see the reason of their indurance nothing can destroy them but God immediately and God will not the same reason is for the soules of men for they as the Angells are not produced out of matter are not compounded of matter and forme but are pure substances created and infused by God immediately and so not subject to corruption And for glorified bodies when they shall have put on a celestiall forme this corruptible shall have put on incorruption this passive principle by which they are corruptible shal be destroyed they will then be in the same condition of the Angells uncapable of fadeing or alteration From the apparition of Angells see the care that God hath had of his Church in all times Hee hath not left himself without witnesse to the world in that hee gave them raine and fruitfull seasons nor to his people for hee hath given them the apparitions of Angells and invisible substances Secondly learne the dignity of saints that have had the Angells to be their ministers and so farre as to humble and debase themselves to take up shapes that were not their owne Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits c. Thirdly consider the meanenesse of mans nature in respect of the Angelicall wee cannot beare apparitions scarce in our owne shape but out of it in any higher wee are confounded Fourthly see the blessednesse of our conditions wee shall be as the Angells as little depending on Elements and outward things the more wee can frame our selves to this independency of living now the more raised wee are it is good to have our happines in few things and to be easily able to quit the rest Fiftly admire not bodily beauty you see an Angell which is a creature but one degree above us can frame beautifull shapes which shall be acted and moved and within a while comes to nothing and this beauty of our bodies this Elementary beauty this mixture of whit and red is almost as perishing a little blast of sicknes a little undue commotion of the humours renders it also nothing Sixtly see the great love of the son of God in his apparition who though above Angells as being their creatour Coll. 1.16 Though hee were God blessed for ever yet did not abhorre our nature but as hee tooke our nature and not that of the Angells so hee tooke it up indeed not in shewe as the Angells who troubled not themselves with the heavinesse indisposition and vildenesse of our bodies but Christ so tooke our nature as he subjected himselfe to all our naturall infirmities and to have as wee a vilde body Seaventhly by the frequency of the former apparitions of the Angells you may know they are not idle now although wee living by faith have not such a visible converse with them as formerly but as miracles are ceased so are their appearings seased but not their workings though their converse be not so sencible yet it is as reall But of that in another place So as the fifth thing will be to consider about the administrations of Angells to us and the deputations they have from God concerning us And first wee must know that the doctrine of the Angell Gardians hath bene exceeding antient not onely amongst the Christians but the heathens also who drew much of their knowledge from the Scripture and they thought that every man had his Angell which was his Genius hence are those phrases Invitâ Minervâ contra genui facere that when their Angell or Genius inspired them one way they would do acts notwithstanding contrary to such inspirations and to their Genius Secondly some not onely Philosophers but Christians have thought that every man good and bad was under the guidance of a good Angell which to the reprobate was an aggravation of their sinnes but it is cleare that the tutelage of the good Angells belongs onely to the elect for so it is Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heires of salvation Exclusively that is to them and no others Els hee would not have made it a priviledge and prerogative to the saints but given it in common rather amongst men So Psal. 91.11 Hee shall give his Angells charge over thee but to whome ver 9. those which make the Lord their refuge so that it is cleare for them and for no others And it doth not hinder that this was spoken immediately to Christ for so are all the promises which concerne the elect they are made and made good first to Christ and from him as a head they discend to his members A third consideration will be whether every elect person hath a particular