2 The Heirs of Salvation shal at last day be made conformable to and equal with the Holy Angels and together with them shal praise serve and enjoy God in al manner of intime communion unto al eternitie Luk. 20.36 For they are equal to the Angels Thus some interpret Zech. 3.7 And I wil give thee places to walk Zech. 3.7 or walks among those that stand by i. e. the Holy Angels that minister before God This may include Service both in the Church Militant on Earth as also the Church Triumphant in Heaven for Angels stand by and minister in both How potent promt and agile the holy Angels are to execute every Wil of God is wel expressed by Damascene Orthod Fid. L. 2. C. 3. The Angels saith he are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angels are potent and promt to fulfil the Divine Wil and are by the agilitie of their nature found every where present as the Divine beck commandes them So much for the Gubernation of the Holy Angels § 4. Divine Gubernation extendes it self not only to the good Angles but also to the Evil. Satan by Gods providential permission Gods Gubernation as to Evil Angels is the God of the wicked world who rules in the Children of disobedience 1. Satan is the Prince of this World Joh. 12.31 1 He is not a Lawful Prince but Vsurper he usurpes Christs Crown and intrudes himself on his Throne He affectes a Deitie to be God over the noblest part in Man his Mind as 2 Cor. 4.4 2 He is not an Absolute Prince but limited his Power is much narrower than his Wil and Malice He can do nothing but by Divine Permission and Gubernation 3 He is not a Free Prince but Vassal confined by Chains of Providential Gubernation Jude 6. 4 The main of his Kingdome consistes in the Free Election of wicked men Evil men electively put the Crown on his Head and bow the knee before him His Crown is supported by the voluntary subjection of wicked men Ephes 2.2 Ephes 2.2 According to the Prince Arbitrio Principis i. e. according to the Soverain pleasure of the Prince of the power of the Air 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here notes his Dominion and Soveraintie in the Air i. e. in this inferior part of the Universe The Spirit that now worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes his working with efficacitie in the Children of Disobedience i. e. Such as are addicted and have given up themselves to the disobedience of God but obedience unto Satan such as are his voluntary slaves 5 Satan is a Magnificent Prince having Legions and vast Armies under his command Eph. 6.12 Rev. 12.6 7. 6 He is a Prince of great Wisdome Experience and Subtiltie to deceive al that listen to him His Prudence as a Spirit is vast and his Experience of more than 6000 years greatly addes thereto 2 Cor. 2.11 So 2 Cor. 2.11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest we should be over-reached or circumvented by Satan It answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies primarily to have more than we ought thence to cheat defraude c. The Metaphor seems taken from avaricious Merchants who take al occasions to circumvent Thence he addes For we are not ignorant of his devices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answering to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes here Stratagemes Machinations Plots Fallacies c. which he termes Ephes 6.11 Ephes 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wiles of Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysost is artificially to circumvent to cheat by rules of Art by a compendiose method to reduce persons or things under our power So that Satan it seems has got the art and method of deluding and cheating souls Whence he is stiled Joh. 8.44 The Grand Old Lyer 2 Tim. 2.26 or Cheater We read also 2 Tim. 2.26 of the snare of the Devil whereby he takes men captive at his wil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a military word and signifies to take alive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So 2 Chron. 25.12 Satan has such a snare as he can thereby take sinners captive alive and at his pleasure 7 As he is a Prince of Power and Prudence so also of great malice and rage against the good of Souls 1 Pet. 5.8 Thus 1 Pet. 5.8 he is termed a Roaring Lion which notes his rage seeking whom he may devour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drink up at a draught Yea so great is his Rage against the good of Souls that he counts it a torment to be curbed or hindered in the execution of his malitiose designes as Matt. 8.29 Mat. 8.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to torment us O! what a torment is it to him to see a Soul delivered out of his snare Hence 2. Satan being the Prince and God of this World has Satan's Power to temte by providential permission a great power to temte and draw men unto sin 1 Satan as to us is not a mere Creator of his own Tentations but he takes the mater from those whom he temtes or from some circumstances that environ them Satan is oft the Father but Sin the Mother of Tentation 2 Satan cannot reach the human Soul or any Act thereof immediately The heart of Man is a privie Chamber into which none can enter but the King of Kings The thoughts and inclinations of the Soul have a covering over them which none can take off but he that made the Soul Satan may cast in Fire bals or send in Messengers and Letters by the mediation of the Phantasie but he cannot enter into the heart directly nor compel it to sin 3 Satan by Gods permission can worke curiously and efficaciously on the Organs of the Bodie Spirits Bloud and other Humors as Melancholie c. which are united to the Soul and have no smal indirect influence thereon 4 Though Satan cannot worke immediately on the heart yet he can worke immediately on the corporeous sensitive Soul particularly on the phantasie by making impressions thereon and forming such Ideas there as may affect the mind Satan may temte and persuade to Sin not only Morally by false suggestions and Images offered but also in some sense Physically by impressing and fixing those Images on the phantasie and coloring them over with the apparence of good 5 Satan has a very great and intime accesse unto the spirits of men not only as he is a Spirit but also as he is an unclean Spirit and his Kingdome a Kingdome of darknesse Hence he is said Luke 22.3 Luk 22.3 to enter into Judas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes an intime accesse into Judas as into his proper house He had been casting in darts into Judas's heart before as John 13.2 The Devil having now put into the heart of Judas to betray him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devil having now injected or cast in this Tentation into his heart to betray his Lord. Now
of the second cause there is no effect which the second cause produceth but the first cause can produce it by itself So also as to conservation The first cause workes by its own proper virtue and therefore more intimely and immediately than any second cause The virtue of an inferior cause is not conjunct with the effect but in and by the virtue of the superior 5 From the efficacitie and vehemence of Gods conservative Influxe By how much the more vehemently and efficaciously any cause worketh by so much the more penetrant intime and immediate is its influxe Now God as the first conservant Cause doth more vehemently adhere to and efficaciously influence the effect than any second cause can do Concerning the immediate Conservation of God see an excellent Discourse in Bradwardine de Caus lib. 1. cap. 2. pag. 164 c. 3. Gods Conservation by his Word or Wil. Heb. 1.3 Prop. God conserves althings by the word of his Power or immediate Volition Thus Heb. 1.3 Vpholding althings by the word of his power The Apostle ascribeth unto God infinite power in and for the conservation of althings whether great or smal It is infinite power that upholdeth the Earth that stretcheth out the Heavens c. And yet the same infinite power is put forth in the conservation of the least things as also for their motions The same power that moves the Heavens is also exerted in causing a feather to move the same power that shakes a leaf can shake yea rend the mountains the same strong arme that upholds a dust or atome can and doth uphold the Earth And he saith al this is by the word of his Power i. e. by his omnipotent Volition So 2 Pet. 3. having old us v. 5. That by the word of God the Heavens were made he addes v. 7. But the heavens and earth 2 Pet. 3.7 which are now by the same word are kept in store i. e. by the omnipotent Wil of God Gods Word being put for his Wil because we usually expresse our wils by our word That Gods Word or Wil is the immediate cause of althings and their conservation we have before fully demonstrated § 3. of this Chapter 4. Prop. Albeit the conservative Influxe of God be immediate Gods Conservation by means yet in the ordinary course of Providence he makes use of means for the conservation of his Creatures at least such as are corruptible So Hos 2.21 Hos 2.21 22. 22. I wil hear the heavens and they shal hear the earth and the earth shal hear the corne and the wine and the oil and they shal hear Jezreel 1 In this gradation we have a lively description of Divine Conservation both as to the whole Universe as also in regard of the principal part thereof man and more specially the Church of God 2 Neither doth this Prosopopoeia only point out to us the Divine Conservation of althings but also their causal connexions and subordinations each to other Jezreel i. e. according to its proper origination the seed of God cals on corne and wine and oil for sustenance and food and these liquors cal on the Earth for fructifying juices and vigor in order to their production and the Earth cals on the Heavens i. e. 1 on the Aereous inferior Heaven where the Clouds Snow Rain Dew and Vapors are for moist influences 2 on the Ethereous Heaven where the Sun and Stars are for warme influences And then lastly the Heavens cal on God who gives out both vigor and heat to the Celestial Bodies and these influences to the Earth which thence gives juices and vigor to the Plants whence Corne Wine and Oil is given forth to Jezreel Such is the admirable gradation and subordination of althings as means of Divine Conservation Thus Psal 65.9 10 11 12 13. Psal 65.11 12. Thou visitest the earth c. Thence v. 11. Thou crownest the year with thy goodnesse i.e. Thoroughout the whole year thou doest abundantly do good to thy poor Creatures and so doest as it were adorne beautifie and make glad the year Whence he addes and thy paths drop fatnesse Thy paths orbitae i. e. the clouds which are the paths wherein the chariot of thy Providence moves Drop fatnesse i. e. Rain and Snow which by their sulphureous nitrose efficaces make the Earth fat and flourishing whereby Man and Bestes are conserved Whence it follows v. 12. They drop on the pastures of the wildernesse and the little hils rejoice on every side Or are girded with joy Some understand this of metallic venes which are in the bosome of the Earth and do as it were gird it with joy or metals that cause joy We find mention also of the providential provision that God makes for his Creatures Psal 145.15 The eyes of al wait upon thee Psal 145.15 and thou givest them their meat in due season 16. Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing We have here a lively Image of Gods providential conservation who is brought in as a great Master of a Familie largely distributing Food even from his own hand to al under his care Such abundant provision doth the Benigne Lord make for the conservation of his Creature Whence some derive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shaddai the name of God from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dug or teat that yields milk implying that God feeds al and supplies them with nourishment Others deduce Shaddai from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dai sufficient q. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scheddai who is sufficient because God is Alsufficient to supplie al his Creatures 5. Prop. When ordinary means fail God oft provides extraordinary for the relief of his Creatures Gods extraordinary provision for some Thus God provided for Eliah and many other of his Servants in their exigences whereof we find abundant instances in Sacred Philosophie and Historie Yea how oft doth our liberal Lord make extraordinary provision for mere Brutes in their indigent cases Psal 147.9 Thus Psal 147.9 He giveth to the Beste his food and to the young Ravens which crie The last clause Job 38.41 and to the young Ravens which crie is taken out of Job 38.41 Luke 12.24 Who provideth for the Raven his food When his young ones cry unto God they wander for lack of meat So Luk 12.24 Our Lord makes mention of Gods feeding the Ravens Which places put together seem to note some more than ordinary provision that God makes for them The Rabbines Rasi and Kimhi with some others tel us that the young Ravens by reason of their white color are left by their Parents to shift for themselves whence the Providence of God in an extraordinay manner causeth flies or wormes to arise out of their dung by which they are nourished Plinie and Albertus Magnus incline much to this Opinion of the Hebrews Others refer this not to the young Ravens newly hatcht but to such as are ready to flie
al that oppose them Thence v. 4. Vers 4 He shal cover me with his feathers c. i. e. He shal overshadow me with his wings and defend me from al injuries of weather or birds of prey even as an Hen protectes her Chicken So v. 10. Vers 10 There shal no evil befal thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There shal be no evil impelled to thee or there shal no evil fortuitously occur to thee but al be governed and ordered by a paterne hand of Providence Thus v. 14. Because he hath set his love upon me therefore I wil deliver him c. The like description of Gods paterne providence we find Psal 121.4 5 6 8. as elsewhere As for Plato's Philosophemes touching Gods paterne providential Care and Gubernation of virtuose persons they are many and great So in his Apologie for Socrates having proved at large That Death was no way to be feared by a wise virtuose man he gives this reason for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because there can no evil happen to a good man either living or dead neither are his affaires ever neglected by God So Repub. 10. he saith Whatever happens to a friend of God is best for him The same he inculcates elsewhere So Pindar Od. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God thy keeper provides for these cares taking this sollicitude on himself And Pythagoras held Charior est illis Diis homo quam sibi Juven Sat. 10. that Man so far as he had cognation to God fel under his special Providence Yea Plato made virtuose men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the possessions of God according to Sacred Dialect Indeed Gods paterne Providence towards the righteous determines al events sweetly and for the best it extractes good out of the most bitter crosses they shal need nothing but what they can better need than enjoy If God keep them not from miserie he wil keep them in it the lesse they have of human help and provision the more they shal have of Divine God reserves to himself the care of Temporals that they might be the more obliged to mind Spirituals Thence said Socrates Seing God is so careful for you what need you be careful for any thing your selves There is not any Attribute or Relation assumed by God but his People have it engaged for them § 3. Next to the Rational follows the Angelic World which is the Supreme Object of Divine Gubernation Gods Gubernation of the Angelic world As for the Creation of the Angels Sacred Philosophie gives us but few if any notices thereof because its designe chiefly is to describe unto us the state of the Church collected out of men and redemed by Christ in which the Angels have no share yet in as much as they are used by God as Ministers of his Church so they belong to Divine Gubernation on which account we find frequent mention of them in the Scriptures As to their natures they are said to be Spirits Intelligent and Wise 2 Sam. 14.20 excelling in strength and in al ready and swift execution of the Divine Wil Psal 103.20 The Life of blessed Angels consistes in the beatific Vision and Contemplation of the face of God as Mat. 18.10 In Heaven the Angels do always behold the face of my Father i. e. They always contemplate the infinite Beautie of the Divine Essence the gloriose Majestie of his Throne the transcendent splendor and brightnesse of his Wisdome Bonitie and other gloriose perfections And the sood of Angels whereby this their Intellectual Life is recreated and strengthened is that ineffable delight and satisfaction which attendes this their beatifie Intuition and Contemplation of the face of God together with the contemplation of whatever else hath any conformitie to God or subservience to the illustration of his Divine Wisdome Power Goodnesse Grace Justice with his other gloriose perfections Thus Damascene Orthod Fid. L. 2. C 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they see God and are fed hereby c. As for the Ministerie of Angels we find mention thereof Psal 103.4 Psal 103.4 Who maketh his Angels Spirits his Ministers a flaming fire They are called a flaming fire by reason of their Spiritalitie and Activitie in serving God for nothing in the sensible world is so pure spirital and active as fire it being the most potent Minister or Instrument of Nature and Art Thus Damascene Orthod Fig. L. 2. C. 3. makes an Angel to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit or immaterial fire For which he cites Psal 103.4 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flaming fire saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes Agilitie Ignition Fervor Penetrabilitie and Acumen about the Divine Desire and Ministerie as also their elevate refined nature and freedome from al material intelligence Whence he gives us this description of an Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Angel therefore is an intellectile substance ever-mobile free incorporeous by Grace obtaining immortalitie in nature As to their Illumination he addes that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondary intellectile lights receiving illumination from the first independent Light Their vast Wisdome and Science is also mentioned Matth. 24.36 Mark 1.3.32 Their mighty Puissance Force and Power is described 2 Pet. 2.11 Their Glorie Dignitie and Excellence above other Creatures is frequently inculcated As to their Dignitie and Office they are stiled Col. 1.16 Thrones Dominions Principalities Col. 1.16 and Powers They are also said to be Dan. 10.13 the Chief Princes above al the Princes of the Earth and the Title of Gods is given to them Psal 8.5 and 97.7 in as much as God imparteth to them his Counsels 1 King 22.19 20. Zach. 1.11 12. and useth their Ministerie in the Gubernation of the world but in a more particular manner of his Church as Hebr. 1.14 Are they not al ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shal be heirs of salvation In which description we have 1 Their Nature signified by Spirits 2 Their Office to minister 3 The main Object of their Ministerie the heirs of salvation We find no particular mention in Plato or the more Ancient Philosophers touching Angels yet we find frequent and great notices both in Plato and others touching Demons and their Ministerial Office between the Supreme God and Men for the Gubernation of human affaires which Mede understands partly of Angels Plato discourseth at large of Demons in his Cratylus pag. 397. in his Symposium p. 202 203. and in his Repub. 5. p. 468 469. He makes them to be a kind of Mediatorie Gods between the Supreme God and Men to transporte the Sacrifices and services of men to God and the gifts and favors of God to men as also to governe human affaires Which it's possible may be partly but a broken Tradition of the Ministration of Angels yet I conceive the Office of these Demons primarily refers to the Mediatorie Office of the Hebraic Messias and was but a corrupt Imitamen thereof as we