forth a multitude of Spirits swiftly into the nerves for the supply of the lowest member which runs thither upon the least motion So do the Angels which are Gods Ministers run at the appointment of God and are employed in all the wheels of providence The Spirit of the living Creatures was in the wheels of providence * Ezek. 1.20 1. The highest orders among them are not exempted from being officers for the Church Though they are called Gods Angels in respect of their immediate attendance on God yet they are called mans Angels in respect of the service they do for them Matth. 18.10 Their Angels do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven They are not the ordinary sort of Angels only which attend upon those little ones upon young converts humble Souls those little ones in the Kingdom of Heaven but they are the highest Courtiers there such as see the face of God and stand before him A King hath many Servants but not every Servant only the chief of the Nobility stand before him so they are not Angels of the meanest order and rank in Heaven that are ordered to attend the lowest Christian The Apostle makes no doubt of this Heb. 1.14 are they not all ministring Spirits there is no question but they are sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation He asserts confidently that not one of them is blotted out of the List for this employment Are they not all none are exempted from the service of God so none are exempted from the end of that service which is the good of Believers They are Gods servants but for the Churches good for them which shall be hairs are they not all it is irrational to deny it And they are sent forth every one of them hath his commission sign'd by God for this purpose and not only for the Church in general but for every member in particular for the heirs of Salvation And not only for them which are already called and enrolled but for them who shall be called whose names are written in the Book of Gods election who shall be heirs And they are not only faintly sent as if they might go if they will but they have a strict charge to look after them well not in one or two of their works or ways but in all Psal 91.11 He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes to bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone they are to use all their strength to this purpose to bear them up in their hands As the elder Children are appointed by Parents to have a care of the younger in their works and motions and to use both their wisdom and strength for them The Angels are a guard to secure them here and at last to convey them to their fathers house Luk. 16.22 when a man is in favour with a Prince all the Courtiers will be observant of him 2. Armies of them are employed upon this occasion There are great multitudes of them as Bildad speaks Job 25.3 Is there any number of his armies that is of his Angels when Joel speaks of the heathens gathering together thither saith he Lord cause thy mighty ones to come down * Joel 3.11 A whole squadron of them shall attend upon a gracious man according to the circumstances he is involved in Gen. 32.1 2. And Jacob went on his way and the Angels of God met him and when Jacob saw them he said this is Gods host Regiments of Angels enough to make up an Army for so Jacob terms them met him upon the way to secure his Brother Esau and to encourage him in his journey So some interpret 2 Sam. 5.24 the found of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees The sign of the marching of a Brigade of Angels with the Lord in the head of them for the discomfiture of David's Enemies then shall the Lord go out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines And this they do not of their own heads but by the pleasure of God not only by a bare will but a delight Psal 103.21 Bless the Lord all ye his hosts ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his choicest pleasure he delights to see this his militia upon action 3. Christ hath the government of them to this end for his Church Angels are all put in subjection to him Heb. 2.7 8. In that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him He is exalted above all principality and power God hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.21 22 all things even principalities and powers are put under his feet to be commissioned and influenced by him for the good of his Church * Ezek. 1.12 Whither the Spirit was to go they went they are ordered by the Spirit of Christ to this purpose Zach. 1.10 Those are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the Earth They are his faithful messengers dispatcht into the World by him as scouts and spies to take notice of the state of the World and to give him intelligence and an exact account of affairs and v. 11. they give an account to Christ Christ is the Head and General of them Col. 2.10 They are his Host alwaies in a warlike posture with Christ in the Head of them Zach. 1.8 upon their Horses which notes readiness to move and speed in motion And as an Host they are said to pitch their tents round about them that fear him and are in a continual conflict with the evil Angels to prevent their designs in the behalf of Christ whom they acknowledge as their head by their worship of him * Heb. 1.6 Christ orders them to take care to seal his Servants in the foreheads that they may be preserved in the storms which shall happen in the World at the time of the ruine of the Romish Papacy Revel 7.2 3. An Angel comes that had the seal of the living God commission of God saying hurt not the Earth nor the Sea nor the trees till we have sealed the Servants of our God in the foreheads 4. The great actions which have been done in the World or shall be done for the Church are performed by them Angels were sent as expresses by God with his great decrees concerning the revolutions of times * Dan. 7.16 Dan. 8.16 And I heard a mans voice which called and said Gabriel make this man to understand the vision An Angel was sent to Daniel with the message of a Redeemer and the clearest prophecy of Christ which the Jews are not able to answer to this day which they most startle at Part of the discovery of the Revelation to John which is as a standing Almanack to the Church was made us by an Angel *
therefore the continuance of that being depends upon his preserving influence * Stillingsleet Orig sacrae lib. 3. cap. 3. §. 3. God upholds the World and causes all those laws which he hath impressed upon every Creature to be put in execution not as a man that makes a watch and winds it up and then suffers it to go of it self Or that turns a River into another Channel and lets it alone to run in the grass he hath made for it but there is a continual concurrence of God to this goodly frame For they do not only live but move in him or by him his living and omnipotent power runs through every vein of the Creation giving it life and motion and ordering the acts of every part of this great body All the motions of second causes are ultimately resolved into the Providence of God who holds the first link of them in his hands * Hos 2.21 22. More particularly the nature of Providence may be explained by Two propositions First Proposition The universality of it His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole Earth First 'T is over all Creatures 1. The highest 2. The lowest I. The highest and most magnificent pieces of the Creation 1. Over Jesus Christ the first born of every Creature Gods providence was in an especial manner conversant about him and fixed upon him It was by the determinate Counsel of God that he was delivered up * Acts. 2.23 His providence was diligently exercised about him in his whole course Christ answers his Mothers solicitousness with the care his Father took of him * Luk. 2.49 wist you not that I must be about my Fathers business 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hammond in loc Do you not know that I am about those things my Father takes care of * This exposition best agrees with his reproof who blames them for creating so much trouble to themselves upon their missing him in the Town 'T is not why do you interrupt me in my dispute with the Jewish Doctors But How is it that you sought me Do you think I am not under the care of my Father It was particularly exercised on him in the midst of his passion * Zach. 3.9 Seven eyes were upon the Stone Seven a number of perfection a perfect and peculiar care of God attended him 2. Over Angels and Men. The Soul of the least Animal and the smallest Plant is formed and preserved by God but the breath of Mankind is more particularly in his hand Job 12.10 In whose hand is the Soul of every living thing and the breath of all Mankind 1. Over good Angels and Men. He charges his Angels with folly and weakness They cannot direct themselves without his wisdom nor preserve themselves without his power God hath a Book of Providence wherein he writes down who shall be preserved and this Book Moses understands Exod. 32.33 Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Book not the Book of Election no names written there are blotted out but out of the Book of Providence As it is understood Isa 4.3 every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem i. e. every one whom God designs to preservation and deliverance * Hortons Serm. Ps 87. p. 56. That God surely that hath a care of the mean animals will not be careless of his affectionate Worshippers He that feeds the Ravens will not starve his Doves He that satisfies the Ravening Wolf will not famish his gentle Lambs and harmless Sheep He shelters Jacob from Labans fury and * Gen. 31.29 tutors him how he should carry himself towards the good man He brought Haman out of favour and set Mordecai in his place for the deliverance of the Jews which were design'd for slaughter 2. Over evil Angels and Men. Gods power preserves them his patience suffers them his wisdom orders them and their evil purposes and performances to his own glory The Devil cannot arrest Job nor touch a Lamb of his Flock nor a hair of his head without a commission from God He cannot enter into one filthy Swine in the Gaderens herd without asking our Saviour leave Whatever he doth he hath a grant or permission from Heaven for it Gods special providence is over his people but his general Providence over all Kingdoms and Countreys He takes care of Syria as well as of Judaea and sends Elisha to anoint Hazael King of Syria as well as Jehu King of Israel * 1 King 19.15 Though Ishmael had mocks for Isaac yet the God of Isaac provided for the wants of Ishmael * Gen. 25.16 17 18. He causeth his Sun to shine upon the unjust as well as the just to produce Fruits and plants for their preservation II. Over the meanest Creatures As the Suns light so Gods Providence disdains not the meanest wormes 'T is observed that in the enumeration of the works of Creation * Gen. 1.21 only the great Whales and small creeping things are mentioned and not the intermediate Creatures to shew that the least as well as the greatest are under his care 'T is one of his Titles to be the preserver of Beasts as well as men * Neh. 9.6 He is the great Caterer for all Creatures * Ps 104.21 The young Lyons seek their meat from God They attend him for their daily portion and what they gather and meet with in their pursuit is Gods gift to them vers 27 28. He listens to the cries of the young Ravens though they are Birds of Prey * Psal 147.9 He gives to the Beast his food and to the young Ravens which cry In Psalm 104. David throughout the whole reads a particular Lecture of this Doctrine wherein you may take a prospect of Gods Providence all over the world He acts them by a Commandment and imprinted Law upon their natures and makes them observe exactly those statutes he enacts for the guidance of them in their proper operations Psal 147.15 he sendeth forth his Commandment upon Earth and his word runs very swiftly viz. his word of Providence God keeps them in the observation of their first ordinance * Psal 119.91 They continue this day according to thine Ordinances for all are thy Servants i. e. The Earth and what is upon it They observe their stations the Law God hath set them as if they had a rational knowledge of their duty in their particular motions Ps 104.19 the Sun knoweth his going down Sometimes he makes them instruments of his Ministry to us sometimes executioners of his judgments Lice and Frogs arm themselves at his command to punish Egypt He makes a Whale to attend Jonas dropping into the Sea to be an instrument both to punish and preserve him Yea and which is more wonderfull the multitude of the very Cattle is brought among others as a reason of a peoples preservation from destruction Jonah 4.11 the multitude of the Cattle are joyned with the multitude of
heart is most set upon and that which is last in execution What doth God do at the folding up of the World but perfect his people and welcome them into Glory Therefore God principally next to himself loves his Church The whole Earth is his but the Church is his treasure Ex. 19.5 If you will keep my Covenant then shall you be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the Earth is mine Segullah such a treasure that a Man a King will intrust in no hands but his own all the Earth is mine is not a reason why the Church was his treasure but an incentive of thankfulness that when the whole Earth was his and lay before him and there were many people that he might have chosen and loved before them yet he pitched upon them to make them his choicest treasure And when the blessed God hath pitched upon a people and made them his treasure what he doth for them is with his whole heart and with his whole Soul Jer. 32.41 42. speaking of making an everlasting Covenant he adds yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good c. assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole Soul As though God minded nothing else but those people he had made an everlasting Covenant with which is the highest security and most pregnant expression of his affection that can be given to any not to give them a parcel or moiety of his heart but the whole infinite intire piece and to engage it all with the greatest delight in doing good to them That infinite heart of God and all the contrivances and workings of it center in the Churches welfare The World is a Wilderness but the Church is a Garden If he water the Wilderness will he not much more dress his Garden If the flights of Birds be observed by him shall not also the particular concernments of the Church He hath a repository for them and all that belong to them He hath a book of Life for their Names * Luk. 10.20 a book of Record for their members * Psal 139.16 a Note-book for their Speeches Mal. 3.16 A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord And a book of providence for their preservation Exod. 32.32 In the prosecution of this I shall shew First 1. That it is so de facto and hath been so Secondly 2. That according to the state of things and Gods Oeconomy it must be so Thirdly 3. The improvement of it By way of Vse First 1. That all providence is for the good of the Church de facto and has been so Reason first 1. It will appear by an enumeration of things First All good things Secondly All bad things are for their good First All good things I. The World II. Gifts and common graces of men in the World III. Angels First I. The World The whole World was made and ordained for the good of the Church next to the glory of God This will appear in three things 1. The continuance of the World is for their sakes God would have destroyed the World because of the ignorance and wickedness of it before this time but he overlooked it all and had respect to the times of Christ and the publishing faith in him and repentance Act. 17.30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at God overlooked * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he looked not so upon them as to be provoked to destroy the world but his eyes were fixed on the times of Christianity therefore would not take notice in the extremity of his justice of the wickedness of those foregoing ages Believers are the Salt of the Earth * Mat. 5.13 which makes the World savoury to God and keeps it from corrupting 'T is meant not only of the Apostles but of Christs Disciples of all Christians for to them was that Sermon made v. 1. If the Salt have lost his savour if the Salt be corrupted and Christianity overthrown in the World wherewith shall the World be salted how can it be kept from corruption If they that persecuted the Prophets before you in Judaea which is sometimes called the Earth in Scripture can not relish you and find nothing grateful to their Palates in your Doctrine and Conversation wherewith shall they be salted How shall they be preserved from corruption The Land will be good for nothing but to be given as a prey to the Romans to be trod under their feet as being cast out of Gods protection They are the foundation of the world Pro. 10.25 the righteous are an everlasting foundation Maimonides understands it thus that the World stands for the righteous sakes When God had Noah and his Family lodged in the Ark he cares not what deluge and destruction he brings upon the rest of the World When he had conducted Lot out of Sodom he brings down that dreadful storm of fire He cares for no place Grotius on the place no nor for the whole World any longer then whilst his people are there or he hath some to bring in in time For the meanest believer is of more worth then a world therefore when God hath gathered all together he will set fire upon this frame of the Creation For what was the end of Christs coming and dying but to gather all things together in one Eph. 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ When Christ hath summed up all together he hath attained his end And to what purpose then can we imagine God should continue the World any longer for his delight is not simply in the World but in the Saints there Psal 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the Earth in whom is all my delight not in the Earth but in the Saints there which are the only excellent things in it which Christ speaks of whom that Psalm is meant who knew well what was the object of his Fathers pleasure The sweet savour God smelt in Noah's sacrifice was the occasion of God's declaration for the Worlds standing Gen. 8.21 and the Lord said in his heart I will not curse the ground any more for mans sake That he would no more smite it with a totally destroying judgment It was his respect to Christ represented in that sacrifice and to the faith and grace of Noah the sacrificer What Savour could an infinitely pure spirit smell in the blood and flames of beasts 2. The course of natural things is for the good of the Church or particular members of it God makes articles of agreement with the Beasts and Fouls whose nature is raging and ravenous and binds them in sure bonds for the performance of those articles Hosea 2.18 And in that day will I make a Covenant for them with the Beasts of the field and with the fouls of Heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and will make them to lye down safely As upon