〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.16 But then to this General we have another word added in the Greek which our English distinguisheth not at all from it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it denotes a particular service under the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 9.12 Like to that of the Deacons in the Christian Church who served Tables and provided for the necessities of the Poor and Needy And to this special Deaconry and Service in the World they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solemnly sent forth and Commissioned as Legats and Officers from above Thus the learned Doctor Hammond interprets the seven Spirits Revel 1.4 and 4.5 The Angels which attend and wait upon God and are as in the Sanhedrim the Officers waiting on the Head of the Sanhedrim to go on all their Messages or as in the Church the Deacons to attend the commands of the Governour of the Church and to perform them Now that we may take in the whole course of the Angels Imploy and Ministration we will consider of it distinctly 1. With reference unto God himself 2. To Christ God-Man 3. To the whole World especially of Mankind and 4. To the faithful Servants of God and Christ call'd in the Text the Heirs of Salvation Sect. I. Their Ministry unto God First I say they are Ministring Spirits unto God Almighty Damascen puts this into the definition of an Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that in a threefold capacity 1. They are the constant Attendants of his glorious Court and Presence waiting upon and following of him wheresoever he goes So a chief among them said to Zacharias I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of the Lord Saint Luke 1.19 And I saw the Lord sitting in his Throne saith Micaiah the Prophet and all the Host of Heav'n standing by him on his right hand and on his left 1 Kings 22.19 that is The Great King on his Throne and his Guard or Retinue of Angels round about him And in this as some conceive the special manner of the Divine Appearance or Presence in some places more than in others consists whereas otherwise God is Omni-present and every-where alike as Arnobius says viz. in this his Train and Attendance So that the Lord of Hosts is there said to be peculiarly present where his Court is that is where the holy Angels keep their Station and Rendezvous Hence Iacob having seen a Ladder reaching from Heav'n to Earth and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it saith Gen. 28.16 17. Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not how dreadful is this place It is no other but the House of God even the Gate of Heav'n That is Heav'ns Guild-Hall Court or Palace as our learned Mede hath it for the Gate was wont to be the Judgment-Hall and place where Kings and Senators used to sit attended by their Guard and Ministers Thus in the Prophecy of Daniel the Antient of Days is represented coming to Judgment Dan. 7.10 Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him And in the same stile of the same appearance too Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied as Saint Iude Records it ver 14. Behold the Lord cometh with his holy Myriads or ten thousands For so it ought to be rendred according to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not as we have it with ten thousands by his Saints unless by Saints we mean these holy ones as sometimes they are call'd Dan. 4.13 17. A like expression of the Divine Presence we find in that of Moses Deuter. 33.2 The Lord came from Sinai unto them and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from Mount-Paran he came with ten thousands of Saints or holy ones or with his holy Myriads with his holy ten thousands as it should rather be translated from his right hand went a fiery Law for them Whereunto the Psalmist also relates Ps. 68.17 The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place From whence we read in the New-Testament of the Law giv'n by Angels there Who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels Act. 7.53 Ordained by Angels in the hands of a Mediator meaning Moses Gal. 3.19 The word spoken by Angels Heb. 2.2 Howbeit in the Old-Testament Story it-self we meet with no such thing in terms but only that the Lord descended upon the Mount in a fiery and smoaking Cloud with Thunders and Lightnings and the voice of a Trumpet Exod. 19 The expression therefore seems to proceed upon this supposition that the special Presence of the Divine Majesty or his Glory as the Scripture calls it wheresoever it is said to be consists in the encamping of his Sacred Retinue the holy Angels And accordingly we read in the Gospel that Christ shall come at last in the glory of his Father that is with an host of Angels as the Holy Ghost himself seems to expound it The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels Saint Matth. 16.27 Saint Mark 8.38 Thus Heav'n we know is the place of God's most glorious Residence that being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or habitation of Angels Saint Iude 6. ver who therefore are call'd the host of heav'n and said alwayes to behold the face of God ther◠And accordingly we are taught to pray Our Father which art in Heav'n The Prophet Isaiah before had set the example Ch. 63.15 Look down from heav'n and behold from the habitation of thine holiness and thy glory that is where thy Throne is surrounded with Myriads of holy and glorious Angels And thus was God present of old in his Temple and the places where his name was recorded upon Earth So in the Vision of Isaiah 6.1 I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his Train filled the Temple The LXX have it the house was filled with his glory Most probably the Seraphim or Angels as there it follows ver 3. And this seems to be imply'd in that of the Psalmist Before the Gods I will sing praise unto thee I will worshp towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name Ps. 138.1 2. For that the Angels are call'd Gods I noted before and the Greek here reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Angels and the vulgar Latin accordingly in conspectu Angelorum in the view or presence of the Angels Agreeably whereto we may also interpret that place of Solomon cautioning against rash vows in the House of God Eccles. 5.4 5 6. When thou vowest a vow defer not to pay it suffer not thy mouth to cause they flesh to sin neither say thou before the Angel it was an error that is let not such a foolish excuse come from thee in the House of God before the holy Angels taking the word collectively as we do Man Turk Spaniard
Angels saith he stood round about the Throne and fell before the Throne on their faces and worship'd saying Amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto God for ever and ever Amen Where we observe also a decent reverence and uniformity both of gesture and expression for our instruction doubtless in their worship And their Liturgy we see is wholly in a manner composed of Lauds and Praises Doxologies and Thanksgivings which therefore should waken us to an holy emulation of them in the same our blessed Lord and Saviour having taught us to pray dayly that Gods will may be done by us on earth as it is by them in heaven Tibi omnes superni cives cuncti B. Spirituum ordines gloriam honorem suppliciter adorantes concinunt sine fine Laudant te Domine illi superni cives magnificè honorabiliter D. Aug. Med. c. 33. Well therefore hath our Church taken in certain parcels of their holy Offices into her public Service So in the Te Deum To thee all Angels cry aloud the Heav'ns and all the Powers therein To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth heav'n and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory So at the holy Communion a little before the Consecration and Receiving of the Sacred Elements Therefore with Angels and Arch-angels and with all the company of Heav'n we laud and magnifie thy glorious name evermore praising thee and saying holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Heav'n and Earth are full of thy Glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high And again after we have participated of the Heav'nly Food there follows that Angelic Hymn Glory be to God on high and on earth peace good will towards men we praise thee we bless thee c. The Psalmist that Sweet-Singer of Israel we find calls upon the Angels to bless and praise God yet not in the least to reflect upon their backwardness or impute a negligence and forgetfulness to them but as one delighted himself in that celestial imployment and desirous to set them forth as excellent examples of it and provoke them to a supply of those higher measures of devotion which he could not reach unto Bless the Lord ye Angels of his that excel in strength Bless ye the Lord all his Hosts ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure Ps. 103.20 21. And again Praise ye the Lord from the Heav'ns praise him in the heights Praise ye him all his Angels praise ye him all his Hosts Psal. 148.1 2. III. These Ministring Spirits wait upon God as his ready Messengers to receive his commands observe his orders go upon his errands and embassies and fulfil all his will thus to serve and obey him in whatsoever he shall send or imploy them about Non solùm autem hymnos decantant sed divinae etiam oeconomiae ministrant Theodoret. Divin Decret Epit. So we have it in that place of the Psalmist just now recited Ye Angels of his that do his commandements hearkning unto the voice of his word and ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure who are always at his beck No sooner doth he signifie or injoyn any thing but they are presently on the Wing swiftly flying In Iacob's Vision therefore we have a Ladder reaching up to Heav'n with Angels ascending and descending on it that is in continual motion quorum unum solumque officium est servire nutibus Dei nec omninò quidquam nisi jussi◠ejus facere apparitores magni Regis Lactant. Instit. l. 2. c. 17. Sometimes they are dispatch'd to declare and make known the mind of God as the Law was deliver'd by Angels on Mount Sinai and several Messages of Glad-tidings we read of by and from them in holy Scripture as to Abraham Daniel Zacharias the blessed-Virgin Saint Iohn and others of which more afterwards Sometimes again they are sent to execute God's Judgments and pour out the Vials of his Wrath Revel 15.6 7. as on the wicked Sodomites Gen. 19. on the First-born in Egypt Exod. 12. on the Assyrian Host 2 Kings 19. on the People of Israel 2 Sam. 24.15 16. But oftner as the Ministers of good things to work deliverance and bring supplies extraordinary to his Servants and Worshippers as I shall take occasion hereafter more particularly to specifie and therefore forbear to add any thing of it farther in this place unless it be the testimony of Hesiod to this truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But O that we could learn of those blessed Spirits and might be awaken'd to imitate and follow them in these steps of their Ministry unto God! That we may delight as they do in the presence of God and the places of his Worship and Service That we may be as zealous and devout orderly and unanimous diligent and unwearied in the glorifying of God and praising of his Name And that we may add unto all our religious acknowledgments a readiness of obedience too like unto theirs to hearken unto the voice of his word and do his will and commandements SECT II. Their Ministry unto Christ. Secondly They are Ministring Spirits unto Christ the Son of God made Man whence they are said to ascend and descend upon the Son of Man Saint Iohn 1.51 And this they do by divine appointment When he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world he saith and let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 according to that of the Psalmist worship him all ye Gods Here now I might entertain you with a prolix discourse to shew how all along the holy Angels have waited upon Christ and Ministred to him But I will only touch upon the particulars most of which the devout Gerhard hath summarily laid together Angelus ejus conceptionem nunciat nativitatem manifestat in AEgyptum fugere mandat Angeli serviunt ei in deserto ministrant ei in toto praedicationis ministerio Angelus ei adest in mortis agone apparet in ipsius Resurrectione Angeli praestò sunt in Ascensione aderunt in futurâ ad judicium reversione 1. To signalize his Advent an Angel foretels his immediate Fore-runner Iohn the Baptist unto Zacharias Saint Luke◠13 and then his Conception to the Virgin Mary ver 30.31 resolving her doubts how this should be ver 35. and after that assuring Ioseph her espoused Husband that what was conceived in her Womb was of the Holy Ghost Saint Mat. 1.20 2. At his Birth as hath been some-where already intimated an Angel is the Herald to proclaim the good news of it to the Shepheards in the Field and directs them to the place where he lay and immediately upon that a whole host of Angels sing together in consort with him glorifying and lauding God Saint Luke 2.10 c. No sooner was he born into the World but he was look'd upon with admiration by the Angels adored and worshipped by those knowing and
the Angels also as we read in the Revelations And again We honour the Angels but with love not with service nor do we build Temples to them for they are not willing to be honour'd by us Once more If we should rear a Temple of wood aâ—d stone to any holy Angel be he never so excellent should we not be anathematized by the Truth of Christ and from the Church of God for exhibiting of that service to a Creature which is due only unto God Lactantius tells us in like manner that the good and holy Angels will not have any Divine honour given them whose honour is in God but those that revolted from the service of God being enemies unto and prevaricators from the Truth endeavour to appropriate the Name and Worship of Gods to themselves Hear we also Origen Those saith he whom from their work we call Angels we find because of their partaking the Divine Nature to be called Gods even in the holy Scriptures Yet not so as to enjoin us to worship in the room of God those that minister unto us and bring us the things of God For all prayer and supplication and intercession and thanks-giving is to be sent up to him who is God over all by that High-Priest who is above all Angels the living word and very God And again We speak well of them and count them happy as being ordained by God for the good and benefit of mankind But we do not distribute the honour due to God unto them For this is neither the will of God nor of those who are thus ordained by him Let me adde farther That this worshipping of Angels was condemned in the Council of Laodicea Anno 365. the 35. Canon whereof runs in these words That Christians ought not to leave the Church of God and go and invocate Angels and make conventicles which things are forbidden If any one therefore be found indulging to this secret Idolatry let him be Anathema because he hath left our Lord Iesus Christ and come over to Idolatry In the version of which Canon Carranza lamentably mistakes or prevaricates by reading of Angulos instead of Angelos i. e. Corners for Angels so wide a difference may the change of one letter make Of which I will say no more but the old Proverb Veritas non quaerit Angulos Theodoret saith They were the Jews who perswaded men to worship Angels because the Law was delivered by Angels which practice continued a long time in Phrygia and Pisidia and that therefore the Synoâ—â—f Laodicea forbad the praying unto Angels c. If any desire to see farther into this Mystery I refer him to the learned Discourses of Mr. Mede upon the Apostasie of the last Times and Doctrine of Demons I will end with the words of Zanchy If we may not invocate saith he those that hear and see us and take care of us how then dead men So that they are convinced of most manifest Idolatry who worship Saints departed and Angels and dedicate and consecrate Temples to them And 't is to â—very little purpose for such as do thus to boast that they cannot erre in things that relate to Faith and Religion SECT VI. God in and for them to be admired and glorified Sixthly It will not be amiss if we take the hint from the Angels double admonition to Saint Iohn mentioned in the last Section Worship thou God to turn our thoughts a while from these excellent Creatures and upon the occasion of their perfections to raise up our minds to observe admire and adore their Maker This is a Tribute we ought to pay unto him from all his works O lord our Governour saith the Psalmist how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth And again The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work And again All thy works praise thee and thy Saints bless thee The glory of him that made them is conspicuous in them all and they praise him objectivè by suggesting matter to all intelligent or reasonable Beholders of acknowledging and blessing him thereupon The invisible things of God saith the Apostle from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood or considered by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are left without excuse Rom. 1.19 c. Even they who having thus far the manifestation of Gods being and means of knowing him glorified him not as God neither were thankful but gave away his glory to the meaner sort of his Works And Surely saith the Author of the Book of Wisdom ch 13.1 c. vain are all men by nature who are ignorant of God and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the Work-master but deemed either Fire or Wind or the swift Air or the Circle of the Stars or the violent Water or the Light of Heaven to be the Godâ— which govern the World with whose Beauty if they being delighted took them to be Gods let them know how much better the Lord of them is for the first Author of Beauty hath created them But if they were astonished at their power and vertue let them understand by them how much mightier he is that made them For by the Greatness and Beauty of the Creatures proportionably the Maker of them is seen If we are well in our wits saith Epictetus admirably what else should we do both publicâ—ly and privately but celebrate praise and give thanks unto the Deity For even while we are digging and ploughing and â—ating this Hymn is to be sung unto God Great is God who hath given us these Instruments to cultivate the Earth Great is God who hath given us handâ— to labour with Great is God who hath given us the power of swallowing and a Stomach to receive and digest our food who causeth us by this means to grow up imperceptibly and makes us breath when we sleep Thus we are to sing to his praise in all things But a most Divine Hymn is due for this that he hath given us the understanding of things with capacity and reasâ—n to make use of them And then a little after he adds If I were a Nightingal I should do what belongs to the Nightingal if a Swan what belongs to such a Bird but now I am a reasonable Creature it behoves me to praise God This is my work and business And this I do nor will I quit this Station as long as I am able but exhort others also to join in the same Song with me Like that of the Psalmist Praise ye the Lord praise the Lord O my Soul while I live I will praise the Lord. I will sing praises to my God while I have any being Psal. 146.1 2. For this end certainly did God make the world and sent man at last into it to display his own goodness
produce objects capable of the continual communications thereof and that we might be surrounded with variety of particulars by piece-meals to take notice of and honour him whom we cannot at once and altogether conceive aright of Natura homines humo excitatos celsos erectos constituit ut Deorum cognitionem coelum intuentes capere possint sunt enim ex terrâ homines non ut incola habitatores sed quasi spectatores superarum rerum atque coelestium quarum spectaculum ad nullum aliud genus animantium pertinet ut Balbus â—pud Ciceronem 2. de Nat. Deorum Quod Ovidius pulchrè docet 1. Met. Pronaque cum spectent animalia caetera terram Os homini sublime dedit coelumque tueri Iussit erectos ad sidera tollere vultus But now whereas other Creatures are his Works and so retain some impressions of their Author the Angels are his most lively Images that nearest of all resemble him and therefore we who ought as hath been said to glorifie him in and for all his works are the more unpardonable if we observe or admire him not in these which make the nearest approach unto his Divinity and read unto us the clearest notions of his Excellencies and Perfections Bellarmine hath intituled the best of his Writings being most satisfactory to himself and useful to others De Ascensione mentis ad Deum per scalas rerum creatarum that is Of the Mind's ascent to God by the Ladder of the Creatures A Iacob's Ladder and the ninth step he takes ex consideratione Angelorum from the contemplation of Angels These indeed are every-where ascending and descending in that Ladder Well may we cry out O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth Thou hast set thy Glory above the Heavens There are the greatest expressions of it viz. in this glorious Host of Heaven He telleth the number of these Stars and calleth them all by their name Great is our Lord and of great power his understanding is infinite Ps. 147.5 6. Thus the Levites taught the Children of Israel to glorifie God Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever and blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Thou even thou art Lord alone Thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Hosts the Earth and all things that are therein Nehem. 9.5 6. And the Prophet Isaiah in like manner calls upon them Lift up your Eyes on high and behold who hath created these things that bringeth out their Host by number He calleth them all by their names by the greatness of his might for that he is strong in power not one faileth Isa. 40.26 In the spiritual nature knowledg power goodness holiness immortality and glory of Angels we have competent relief towards the improving our Meditations about that infinite and eternal all-knowing all-mighty and transcendently holy and glorious Spirit who is the Father of them And it is obvious for every one to infer If these Beings are so excellent above us as hath been declared then how much more perfect and complete is that God who made them and all things else Before whom the whole World is but As a little grain of the balance yea as the drop of the morning-dew that falleth upon the Earth as the Wise-man speaks Wisd. 11.22 and to a like purpose the Prophet Isa. 40.15 Of whom therefore I cannot speak more fitly than in the excellent words of Novatian the Roman Presbyter in his Catholic Book of the Trinity The mind is too little to think and all â—loquence justly dumb in the uttering of his Majesty For he is greater than our mind and it cannot be conceived how great he is Whatever we think or speak is far below him We may indeed in some sort with silence muse upon him but cannot sufficiently explain him For whatsoever we say sheweth rather some creature or excellency of his than himself What can we speak or think worthily enough of him who is beyond all our speech and sense Vnless perhaps by this one way we â—nderstand in our mind so far as we are able what â—od is if we conceive he is that which for excellency and greatness can never be understood fully by us or enter into our thoughts to comprehend For as the bodily ey-sight is weakened by poring on the Sun so that we cannot fixedly behold his bright Orb overcome with the lustre of his radiant beams so the more intense our mind is in viewing God the more darkned it becomes in its thoughts about him For what can one say worthily of him who is more sublime â—nd hiâ—h than all sublimity and height more profound than all profundity more lucid bright and splendid than all light brightness and splendor more strong and powerful than all strength and power more beautiful than all beauty truer than all truth greater than all Majesty or greatness richer than all riches wiser and more prudent than all wisdom and prudence juster than all justice better than all goodâ—ess and more merciful than all mercy For all sorts of vertues must of necessity be less than the God and Parent of all vertues and in a word it may be truly said he is that which nothing can be compared unto above and beyond all we can say of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Max. Tyr. Diss. 1. The knowing Angels who better understand his perfections than we Mortals do yet Cover their faces with their wings before him Isa. 6. Nempe sicut homines solem conâ—ra tueri non audent ità Angeli Deum Grot in Loc. as not able to look upon the brightness of his Majesty and for an expression of their reverence towards him and if any upon Earth presume to make more bold with him 't is wholly from their ignorance In velata facie reverentiam tantae Majestatis cogitâ— Fovâ—rius For as Saint Chrysostom speaks upon this very occasion having mention'd the admiration and reverence of the Angels towards God by reason of their more excellent wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The extension and increase of knowledg will advance proportionably our fear and reverence To conclude this Inference learn we from hence to admire and fear and love God exceedingly To admire him whose Creatures are so admirable and whom the most knowing of his Creatures do most admire To fear him who hath such powerful Hosts at his commandâ— and to love him who is yet so good as to make all things even Angels themselves to serve us SECT VII Why and how the Ministry of Angels is to be obliged by us In the last place let us do what we can to oblige and secure the Ministry of Angels to our selves which is as hath been declared so many ways and upon so many accounts beneficial And here I need not offer any thing new by way of motive or inducement when 't is our apparent Interest so to do that
power and might Whereas Angels saith St. Peter which are greater in power and migâ—t When the H. Scripture would set sorth the excellency of Manna wherewith God fed the Israelites in the Wilderness above our Daily-bread it calls it Angels's Food and St. Paul adds the Tongue of Angels as a gradation beyond that of Men Though I speak saith he with the Tongues of Men and of Angels And to express the beautiful and amazing lustre of St. Stephen's countenance when he had spoke like an Oracle 't is said of him They sâ—w his face as it had been the face of an Angel Hence it is that the Name Angel is given as an honourable bearing to those whom God hath taken up to the greatest Dignity among Men. Thus it is communicated to the Chief Priest under the Law The Priest's lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger or Angel of the Lord of Hosts And to the Prophets The Angel or Messenger of the Lord that came up from Gilgal to Bochim is supposed to have been some extraordinary Prophet Haggai is called The Lord's Messenger or Angel delivering the Lord's Message to the People And Malachi which signifies an Angel is that Prophet's Name whose Writings conclude the Old Testament Some indeed have thought the Author of that Book to have been an Angel and not a Man But the Hebrew Rabbi's tell us It was Ezra the Priest and Scribe Whence Iâ—nathan the Chaldee turns the beginning of that Prophencie after this manner Onus â—â—rbi Domini super Israel in manu Malachi cujus nomen vocatur Ezra Scriba The Burden of the Word of the Lord upon Israel in the hand of Malachi whose Name is called Ezra the Scribe The LXX read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the hand of his Angel Again it is given to Iohn the Baptist who was Greater than all the Prophets that went before him the immediate Prodromus and Harbinger of our B. Saviour Behold I will send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before thee Which we have in S. Mark Behold I send 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Angel before thy face Nay it is given to Christ himself Whose shooe-latchets he was not worthy to unloose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek reads that of the Prophet Isaiah Ch. 9.6 Verse The Angel of God's presence Ch. 63.9 and The Angel of the Covenant as the Prophet Malachi stiles him Ch. 3.1 and the very Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Gospel hath some relation hereunto concerning whom the Fathers as well as many later Divines interpret sundry passages of Angelical Appearances in the Old Testament as Precursorie types and Pledges of his future Epiphanie and Incarnation which I take occasion here to advertise once for all because I shall hereafter wave the notice of it S. Paul useth it as an hyperbolical commendation of that transport of affection wherewith the Galatians at first entertained him Ye received me as an Angel of God and our B. Saviâ—ur from Heaven bestows it as a Title of Preâ—minence upon the Chief Governours settled in the Christian Church upon Earth in his Epistles directed to respective Heads of the seven famed Churches of Asia to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus To the Angel of the Church in Smyrna To the Angel of the Church in Pergamus c. Touching which I refer the Reader to Dr. Hammond's learned Dissertations of Episcopacie and his Vindication of the same Yea it is a stile beyond that of Apostle or King than which we know none greater among Men. Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any Gospel saith St. Paul Gal. 1.8 mentioning an Angel from Heaven as the more exalted and eminent And the Woman of Tekoah doubts not thus to commend King David My Lord the King saith she is even as an Angel of God And again My Lord is wise according to the wisedom of an Angel to know all things that are in the Earth To end this Argument this is the Description of our future state of Glory and Happiness far beyond any in the present Life that we shall be then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Angels of God in Heaven and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like or equal to the Angels Hiâ—rocles useth the same word with others that answer and agree to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Tertullian mentions Animam in Regno Dei reformatam Angelisicatam an Angelisied state Now since our Exâ—ellency our highest and most perfect â—state is but to be as the Angels they must needs be granted â—ar above us here as Bishop Andrews well infers Nay let me add one thing yet farther The H. Scripture sometimes calls them Câ—ds Elohim as Origen also notes And so Aristotle and other Philosophers have also stiled them meaning yet Minores à summo Deo factos deos lâ—sser and made-Gods as Plato speaks or as Hesiod calls the Heâ—oâ—s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—midâ—os Demy-gods or as Seâ—â—â—â— Inferioris notae and from Ovid de Plebe Deos Petty and Under-gods over whom the Supreme Deity is King or Populares Deos as Anâ—isthenes cited by Lactantius Popular and Plebeian Gods Plutarch entitles a Discourse of his De Daemonio Socratis but Apuleius on the same Argument De Deo Socratis whom he calls also his Amicum Numen Plato deâ—ines a Daemon or Angel to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a middle sort of Being between God and Man and Max. Tyrius to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. a Substance more excellent than Man but inferiour unto God We have thereâ—ore abundant proof and conviction That the Angels are a sort of Beings transcendent unto us Men the bâ—st of Men and that in their best condition upon Earth Indeed the Apostle's way of arguing in this Epistle to the Hebrews is a sufficient demonstration of as much for he gives the prooâ— of Christ's Deity and exaltation next to God the Father by his being above the Angels ch 1. and then expresseth his great condescension to us mortals in that passing by the Angels he took on him the seed of Abraham and tasted death for every man ch 2. CHAP. II. Of the Nature of Angels PRoceed we now secondly to enquire into their Nature as they are here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirits For this as S. Augustine notes is the name of their Nature as the word Angel more properly relates to their Office even as Man saith he is a name of the Nature Souldier or Praetor of Office And to this purpose we have it ver 7. before the Text Of the Angels he saith who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an immaterial Fire as one of the Greek Writers phraseth it God himself is
time they were made is somewhat dubious and uncertain That it was within the six dayes is concluded I think generally because in them as the Scripture saith God finished all his works and after rested upon the seventh creating no new Species of Beings Certain it is also that it was before the making of Man and some conceive before the visible Creation too the Apostasie of a great part of them preceding Man's fall in Paradise which they contrived Others place it upon the First days Creation when the highest Heavens are supposed to have been made with the Primogenial Light and with them these heavenly Inhabitants and Children of Light and this is conjectured the rather from that of Iob where the Morning Stars are said to have Sang together and the Sons of God to have shouted for joy at the laying of the foundations of the Earth which cannot be understood of the fixed Stars in the Firmament for they were created after the Foundations of the Earth were laid upon the fourth day but of the Angels who are call'd as was said before the Sons of God and resembled here to Morning Stars for their brightness and glory in such a metaphorical or borrowed sense as Christ is also call'd the bright morning Star The LXX indeed varies a little from our Reading but then for the Sons of God puts expresly the word Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Stars were made all my Angels praised me with a loud voice which the Latin follows and therefore Saint Augustin infers upon it jam ergò erant Angeli quando facta sunt sidera That the Angels were certainly in being before them God most probably first made these Spirits and then bodily Beings and then after united both together in Man who is a complex of Spirit and Body according to that of the Lateran Council Deum ab initio temporis utramque ex nihilo condidisse creaturam Angelicam mundanam deinde humanam quasi communem ex Spiritu corpore constantem wherewith agrees the saying of Damascen That being not content with the contemplation of himself alone he made the Angels the World and Men to participate of his goodness and bounty and it was but meet as he argues out of Greg. Nazianz that the intellectual substance should first be created and then the sensible To which I will only annex that excellent passage of Seneca quoted by Lactantius out of his Exhortations Deus cum prima fundamenta molis pulcherrimae jaceret ut omnia sub ducibus suis irent quamvis ipse per totum se corpus intenderat tamen ministros Regni sui Deos genuit When God laid the first Foundation of this most beautiful Fabrique the World that all things might go under their respective Guides although he were every-where himself present yet he made the Gods i. e. Angels as Ministers of his Kingdom Moses it is confess'd in the History of the Creation takes not express notice of them by name Only they are thought by some included in Fiat Lux Gen. 1.3 Let there be Light So Saint Augustin who refers the Division too made there between the Light and Darkness Exodus 4. to the difference between the holy and impure Angels that is Angels of Light and Darkness But by others rather in that of Ch. 2.1 Thus the heavens and the Earth were finished and all the hosts of them And in like manner the Psalmist hath it By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Now the Angels are elsewhere stiled The host of Heaveâ— 1 Kings 22.19 or Heavenly host Saint Luke 2.13 and the Rabbies call the upper Heavens The World of Angels the World of Souls and the Spiritual World SECT III. Intellectual and Free Powerful Agile and Immortal Now what kind of Spirits the Angels are I will shew farther in these four particulars I. That they are intellectual Spirits endued with understanding and Free-will and of a vast knowledge II. Of great power and might III. Of extraordinary speed and agility IV. Immortal and such as cannot Die Of each of which succinctly First That they are intellectual Spirits call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Plato and Plotinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Psellus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by others and therefore also stiled intelligentiae endued with Understanding and Free-will being the off-spring of God as hath been said already and after his Divine Image in a more perfect manner and degree than we Men are An undoubted proof and evidence of their Intellectual Being and Freedom of Will or Choice together we have in the Law given them by God And that there was a Law prescribed them is undeniable in that we read of some of them that sinned and by so doing fell from their first estate and place of happiness of which I may have occasion possibly to speak further afterwards Now sin is evermore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the transgression of a Law and where there is no Law there câ—â— be no transgression And God is said not to have spared the Angels that sinned Both sin and punishment therefore suppose them Intellectual and Free-Agents none but such can take cognizance of a Law and none but such deserve a severe punishment as Iustin Martyr tells us giving an account of the most righteous doom both of Men and Angels from the liberty of Will wherewith God hath furnished them Again they are God's Messengers and Ministers by whom he gave his Laws to the Israelites of old and revealed many things to his Prophets as shall be declared in another place which argues them sufficiently to be as they are termed Intelligences that is understanding and spontaneous Beings And certain it is Their intellectuals are much beyond the most improved of humane kind ' According to the degree of immateriality say the Schools is the degree of knowledge They have both a more excellent quickness and subtlety of natural understanding and a greater improvement made of it This seems intimated in the first Temptation Gen. 3.5 Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil The Chaldee there saith as Princes and Ionathan's Paraphrase as Angels And our blessed Saviour as I before suggested plainly supposeth a greater measure of knowledge in them than in Men when he saith Of that time knoweth no man no not the Angels Saint Matth. 24.36 And according to the wisdom of an Angel is a Standard of the highest elevation 2 Sam. 14.20 The Ancients call'd them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. from their knowledge Hence the Author of Hesiod's Allegories calls Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. maximae sapientiae virum and Plutarch in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls Plato by the same name whom others stiled Divine quasi quendam Philosophorum Deum Cicero 2. de nat
c. or as the singular number is sometimes put for the plural And for this cause most probably the Curtains of the Tabernacle were fill'd with Pictures of Cherubims and the Walls of Solomon's Temple within with carved Cherubims and the Ark of the Testimony over-spred and cover'd with two mighty Cherubims having their Faces looking towards it and the Mercy-Seat with their Wings stretch'd forth on high call'd the Cherubims of Glory Hebr. 9.5 that is of the Divine Presence Whence that known compellation of Almighty God O Lord God of Israel which dwellest between the Cherubims 2 Kings 19.15 we have it again Ps. 80.1 Thou that dwellest between the Cherubims shine forth and in Hezâ—kâ—ah's Prayer Isa. 37.16 O Lord of Hosts God of Israel that dwellest between the Cherubims And again it is said Ps. 91.1 The Lord reigneth he sitteth between the Cherubims viz. as on his Royal Throne Agrippa in his Oration to the Jews in Iosephus joyns the Holy Place and the Holy Angels as neerly related each to other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this opinion still continues with that People that in their places of worship where God hath promised his especial Presence the blessed Angels frequent their Assemblies and praise and laud God together with them in their Synagogues So much is acknowledged in the Form of Prayer used by the Jews of Portugal and cited by Master Mede from whom I borrow this notion and the substantial management of it O Lord our God the Angels that supernal company gather'd together with thy people Israel here below do Crown thee with Praises and all together do thrice redouble and cry that spoken of by the Proâ—het Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts the whole Earth is full of thy Glory And thus certainly we may conâ—lude in like manner that God is still present in the Churches of Christians Some such thing Saint Paul supposeth 1 Cor. 11. where treating of a comely and decent carriage to be observed in Church-Assemblies and in particular of the woman's being cover'd and vailed there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Chrys. words it he inâ—orceth it from this Argument the supposed presence of Angels there ver 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because of the Angels If thou despisest man saith Saint Chrysost. on the place yet reverence the Angels And to a like purpose Theophylact. Debet inquit superioribus de causis mulier supra caput velamen gestare i. e. servitutis insigne si nullâ aliâ ratione Angelorum tamen pudore ducta ne in illorum conspectu impudica appareat Theoph. in loc And thus unto Principalities and Powers in heav'nly places is made known by the Church of manifold wisdom of God as the Apostle writes to the Ephesians c. 3.10 upon which Text Saint Chrys. excellently See what an honour is done to humane nature in that with us and by us the Powers above come to know the secrets of our King and Saviour And they are represented by Saint Peter as earnestly looking into the Mysteries of the Gospel preached and commemorated in our Assemblies 1 Pet. 1.12 Which things saith he the Angels desire to look into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stooping down as with their Faces of old towards the Propitiatory or Mercy-Seat Thus Saint Chrysostom conceived most undoubtedly of Christian Oratories reproving the irreverent behaviour of his Auditors upon occasion in such words as these The Church is no Barbers or Apothecarys Shop c. but the place of Angels the place of Arch-angels the Palace of God Heav'n it self And again Think neer whom thou standest and with whom thou art about to invocate God namely with Cherubim and Seraphim and all the Powers of Heav'n Consider but what companions thou hast and it will suffice to perswade thee unto sobriety when thou remembrest that thou who art compounded of flesh and blood art yet admitted with the incorporeal powers to celebrate the common Lord of all Let none therefore communicate carelesly in the holy and mystical hymns Let none at that time intermingle worldly thoughts but remove and banish all earthly cogitations and translate himself wholly into Heaven as standing neer the Throne of Glory and on the Wing with Cherubims So let him offer the all holy hymn to the God of Glory and Majesty And to add but one quotation more instead of many speaking against those who laugh'd at Church When thou goest into a King's Palace saith he thou composest thy self to all comeliness in thy habit in thy look in thy gate and every thing else But here is indeed the Palace of a King and the like attendance to that in Heav'n and dost thou fleer and laugh I know well enough thou seest it not But hear thou me and know that Angels are every-where present but chiefly in the house of God they attend upon their King and all is there fill'd with those incorporeal Powers II. These Ministring Spirits do not only stand before God as his Attendants but worship and adore him as his Servants pay their homage and acknowledgments to him continually lauding and glorifying of him We have a short account of their Liturgy or sacred Office of Divine Service from the Prophet Isa. 6.3 One cryed unto another hic ad hunc and said holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is fill'â— with his glory Whereto well agrees the Vision of Ignatius as Socrates reports it from whence he is said to have recommended the custom of Alternate-singing to the Church at Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have it seems their mutual Antiphon's and Responsals how much soever some among us except against and find fault with them They divide themselves into Choires and answer each to other in their devout Anthems Saint Augustin calls them hymnidicos Angelorum choros And Athanasius puts hymnis dicendis aptum into his description of an Angel And this is certainly their most delightful and continual imployment Angelorum ministerium est Dei laudatio hymnorum decantatio Theodoret. Divin Decret Epit. They rest not day and night saying holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Revel 4.8 This is their constant devotion and service whereto yet no doubt but upon particular occasions they make some fresh additions Thus at the laying of the Foundations of the Earth or the Creation of the Stars they Chaunted forth the Makers Praise Iob 38. And the like we may conceive when there is Ioy in heaven among them at the conversion of a sinner Saint Luk. 15.10 When one of their number had publish'd the blessed news of our Saviour's birth we find that suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heav'nly host praising God and saying glory be to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men Saint Luke 2. And another parcel yet of their occasional service Saint Iohn gives us Revel 7.11 12. All the
Saint Iohn 3.16 c. There is we see in the first place an evident necessity of the Christian Faith in all to whom it is propounded 〈◊〉 admits us among Christ's Disciples anâ—â—â—â—â—out it we cannot be saved And this Faith must not only be in the heart neither but there must be also an outward prosession and owning of it For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness saith the Apostle and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 And whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my Words saith Christ himself in this adulterous and sinful generation wherein it may be to the hazard of his â—ife and all he hath possibly to owâ— and confess them of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels Saint Mark. 8.38 that is he will for ever disown and renounce him So we have it in Saint Matthew Whosoever will confess me before men him will I also confess before my Father which is in Heav'n but whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is Heaven Ch. 10.32 33. From whence the Apostle tells us if we deny him he also will deny us 2 Tim. 2.12 See farther Hebr. 3.6 14. Hebr. 10.25 26 c. Saint Luke 14.25 to 34 ver The Primitive Christians well understood the necessity of this open profession of their Religion whatever sufferings it brought upon them Witness that of Tertullian Nec fas est ulli de suâ religione mentiri Ex eo enim quod aliud à se coli dicit quam colit negat quod colit culturam honorem in alterum transfert tranferendo jam non colit quod negavit Dicimus palà m dicimus vobis torquentibus lacerati cruenti vociferamur Deum colimus per Christum Apol. c. 21. The noble Army of Martyrs and Confessors then counted it an happiness to be reproached for the Name of Christ and were so far from being ashamed of suffering as Christians that they glorified God on this behalf according to that of Saint Peter 1 Ep. 4.14 16. and in the midst of all torture they cryed out with courage and constancy Christianus sum But Ecebolius of Constantinople is infamous in Story for his mutability and compliance who whilst Constantius was a Catholick profess'd himself so too but with him after turn'd Arian and in Iulian's days was au Idolater but under Iovian again tacked about to the Catholick side Let them seriously ponder upon this who indulge a liberty of renouncing Chriâ—â—ianity and denying Christ in case the higher Powers on Earth shall so require them who call all the Externals of our Religion Ceremonies that have not any thing of holiness in them nor relate at all to the happiness of individual Christians nay which they are bound to abstain from in case they live where the Christian Religion is interdicted them Sure I am we have not so learned of Christ and his Apostles and such stuff as this needs only a bare rehearsal to render it together with its Authors abominable Now if we once believe the Gospel of our Saviour and confess that Faith which we have received from him we shall from thence see a necessity also upon us in order to our salvation to repent sincerely of all our sins to amend our ways and to live in a conscionable and constant obedience to all Christ's Commands Positive as well as Moral and among the later too such as concern God as well as our Neighbour and our selves For this is plainly the Doctrine which he taught Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand S. Mat. 4.17 Vnless ye repent ye shall all perish S. Luke 13.3 5. God now commandeth all men every-where to repent Acts 17.30 And this Repentance must not be in shew and appearance only but in truth and reality such as bringeth forth fruits meet for repentance that is reformation and amendment of heart and life S. Luke 3.8 such as S. Paul calls Repentance unto Salvation not to be repented of or not repented of again 2 Cor. 7.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as we stick firm and stedfast to not returning with the Dog to our vomit or with the Sow that washed to wallowing in the Mire Then farther â—or the necessity of new obedience Not every one thâ—t saith â—nto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heav'n but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heav'n Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophecied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful works and then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Saint Matth. 7.21 c. And in the close of the same Chapter He that hears Christ's sayings and doth them not but yet hopes for happiness by and from him is resembled to a foolish builder erecting a mighty Structure without a good and sure foundation Why call ye me Lord Lord saith he convincingly and do not the things which I say Saint Lukâ— 6.46 He became the Author of Salvation saith the Apostle unto all them that obey him Hebr. 5.9 And to none but such As for others Saint Peter speaks with amazement and horrour What shall the end be of them who obâ—y not the Gospel of God! 1 Ep. 4.17 How dreadful and astonishing if we would know more plainly what Saint Paul declares it When the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heav'n with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with â—verlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2 Thess. 1.7 8 9 10. Them that believe that is who obey the Gospel Whom he hath chosen to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and beliâ—f of the Truth Ch. 2.13 to an inheritance among them that are sanctified Acts 20.32 or to the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Ephes. 1.18 The inheritance he will give to these holy ones and to them only For without holiness no man shall see God's face Hebr. 12.14 And for the universality of that obedience which is required of us such-like Texts as these are plain Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods Saint Matth. 22.21 These things ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Ch. 23.23 whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point allow himself in the transgression of any particular command he is guilty of all Saint Iames 2.10 These now are the declared Heirs of Salvation who heartily believe in Christ boldly confess
may be weaned from this and fixed upon the other and in order both to their greater spiritual good here and the increase to their eternal reward hereafter the promoting and furtherance of their Salvation for these I say and the like purposes of wisdom and kindness together to deal unto them a larger share of afflictions and sufferings than unto others And thus as the Apostle speaks He chastens them out of love and for their profit that they may be partakers of his holiness which however grievous it seems for the present afterwards yields them the peaceable fruit of righteousness Hebr. 12. In these circumstances now the real sting of outward Evils is taken away and the nature of them changed and altered They are not to their hurt and prejudice that lie under them but to their greater benefit and advantage such therefore as an indulgent Father chuseth for them and such as their Guardian-Angels consequently cannot but approve of But I will not enlarge on this argument M. Antoninus that generous heathen said well Who would desire to live in a World destitute of God and providence where all were left to chance and we to meet every-where with so many enemies and dangers But when we remember what a comfortable provision God hath made for our security and welfare we are sufficiently satisfied against the fears and anxieties which must otherwise continually haunt and posses us and should therefore with that excellent Emperour not only pay a tribute of veneration to but fix and settle our minds in a steddy and composed confidence upon him the Governour of the World and all things in it Sect. IV. No disparagement for any to minister unto and serve others Fourthly Since the Angels are all Ministring-Spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of Salvation let none think it a disparagement but rather an exaltation an imployment truly Divine and Angelical to Serve and Minister unto others for their good and in order to their Salvation Those blessed and glorious Spirits of a more noble kind and order than we are however it might seem to their diminution and debasement do not yet disdain to minister unto us but embrace this Charge and Command of God with all chearfulness and delight And therefore we certainly who cannot but admire and commend their goodness and condescension should learn to emulate and be followers of the same We should be ambitious of the like honour to become helpful and serviceable unto others especially in order to their Salvation which is the greatest good they can design for themselves or we assist them in prosecution of Such a Ministry as this we should rejoice in though it appear somewhat to our own hindrance and the obscuring of our Name and Reputation in the world Whosoever will be great among you saith Christ to his Disciples let him be your Minister and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your Servant even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a Ransom for many S. Matth. 20.26 27 28. This is the commendation S. Paul gives of the highest Powers upon Earth He is the Minister of God to thee for good to thee who doest good and again the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Rom. 13.4 And again Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing v. 6. Whence Antigonus call'd a Kingdom truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 splendidam servitutem a noble and glorious servitude and it was wont to be spoken solemnly to the Prince of the Exiles in Babylon that he should not swell or lift up himself with pride officium ipsi non potestatem injungi ab eo die incipiendum ipsi servire omnibus That Duty rather than Power was committed to him and from that day forward he was to become a Servant of all According to the Greek Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Master is the chief Servant of the Family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epict. Diss. L. 3. c. 26. It was the glory of the Apostles of Christ so to be esteemed how contemptibly soever some now think and speak of their heavenly and Angelical calling The Prophet foretells it as an honour Ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord men shall call you the Ministers of our God Isa. 61.6 And Let a man account of us saith one of them as the Ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 4.1 adding of himself in particular to the Corinthians I seek not yours but you and I will very gladly spend and be spent for your Souls though the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved 2 Ep. 12.14 15. And he commends Timothy and Epaphroditus by a like Character to the Philippians willing them to hold such in reputation Phil. 2.19 20 25 29. The Angels are all Ministring Spirits as hath been shew'd and 't is a real Dignity and Advancement for us to participate their office as we may do every one more or less by being helpful what we can to others So that what S. Paul injoinâ—d to be said unto Archippus should in its measure and proportion sound in all our Ears Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil it Col. 4.17 The Glory which we expect and look for in the life to come is described by this as hath been said too elsewhere that we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like unto the Angels and now if this have any thing endearing in it it cannot certainly but highly râ—commend their work and subserviency to us here But what I have said of Ministring unto others even the meanest holds with advantage as to that other part of the Angels Ministry which is towards God Almighty They do with the greatest joy stand in his presence and worship and adore him as I have shew'd at large They are all unanimous and uniform and orderly and zealous and constant in their sacred Liturgy which is made up chiefly of lauds and praises Doxologies and Thanks-givings The Queen of Sheba admired and proclaimed the happiness of Solomon's Attendants 1 Kings 10.8 Happy are thy men happy are these thy Servants which stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom But how much more deservedly may we celebrate the honour and happiness of these heavenly Courtiers that do always behold the Face of the most glorious and incomprehensible Majesty of God himself And then it cannot but behove us to testifie that we unfeignedly esteem their honour and happiness by desiring and endeavouring so far as we are capable to partake of the same breathing out of holy flames with the Psalmist How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Heart and my Flesh cryeth out for the living God When shall I come and appear before God Blessed are they that dwell in thy
assurance And again Let us shew our selves grateful to so worthy and excellent Guardians Let us love them as much as we can and as far as we ought The holy Scriptures in like manner point us out to the presence and attendance of Angels as a singular motive unto watchfulness and circumspection in our behaviour Behold saith God to Moses and his People the Jews I sâ—nd an Angel before thee to keep the way c. Exod. 23.20 21. Cave à facie ejus i. e. ne coram â—o aliquid iniquum designes as Vatab. Beware of him that thou do nothing unrighteous in his view and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him And when the Preacher cautions against rash Vows he adds Eccles. 5.6 Neithâ—r say thou before the Angel that it was an error or ignorance The Greek hath it Say thou not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the presence or face of God Iacob so call'd the place where the Angel appearâ—d to him and wrestled with him Peniel that is the face of God Gen. 32.30 And God himself said of the Angel that attended the Israelites as we read even now My name is in him that is my Authority He acts as in the person of God And agreeably the Hebrew Rabbies stile the Angels Oculos Deâ— The eyes of God and so the holy Scripture is thought to call them too Zech. 4.10 Revel 5.6 Say not then before the Angel that oversees thy actions and will not bear with them if they are evil and provoking so and so Excuse not thy fault as small and inconsiderable Adstat Angelus vindex there stands an Angel by to observe and punish We are made a spectacle to the World to Angels and to Men saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 4.9 We do as it were Act upon an open Stage or Theatre surrounded with many Spectators a great circle of Witnesses Angels as well as Men and therefore should endeavour to act and manage our part well See Hebr. 12.1 And for this cause he exhorts women to such a decent habit in the Congregation as becomes their state and condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11.10 because saith he of the Angels who are presumed to frequent the Christian Churches as before they did the Temple and Synagogues among the Jews as hath been else-where declared Therefore all things should be done with a special reverence and decorum there And indeed proportionably every-where besides I charge thee saith the same Apostle unto Timothy before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou observe these things 1 Tim. 5.21 As if he had said there is not only the Omnipotent God and the Lord Jesus Christ whom he hath ordained Judg of all to take notice of thee but there are also many other Witnesses the holy and elect Angels to testifie at last for or against thee when he shall come in the Glory of his Father and that Retinue of his to judg the quick and dead They walk with us saith Saint Agustin in all our ways they enter in and go out with us attentively considering how piously and honestly we converse in the midst of an evil Nation and with what study and desire we seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and with what fear and trembling we serve him and rejoyce before him c. We are then to express an awful sense of and regard unto the presence of those our dayly Inspectors and Attendants with all the grateful respect we are able to shew them But yet we must take heed that we give them not any of that Adoration Divine Worship and Honour which is peculiar unto God remembring how it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Saint Matth. 4.10 He that sacrificeth unto any God save unto the Lord only he shall be utterly destroyed Exod. 22.20 Nec bonis igitur nec malis Diis sacrificari voluit qui hoc cum tanta comminatione praecepit D. Aug. de â—ivit Dei l. 19. c. 21. Theophylact tells us upon the Text that our Apostle seems in those words to reprove those that ascribe too much to Angels making mention of them as obliged to like services with us and so differenced from us but as Creatures are from one another Nay which is more we find here that they are appointed to Minister unto us And that Reason Tatianus thought good against the worship of the Sun and Moon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why should we fall down in a religious obedience to those that serve us This would certainly be offensive to those righteous Spirits themselves instead of being acceptable When Sampson's Father would have offered a Kid in Sacrifice to the Angel that appeared unto him he not only declares it but gives this wholsom advice upon it Iudges 13.15 16 If thou wilt offer a burnt-offering thou must offer iâ— unto the Lord. Intimating that he could not sacrifice to any other without the guilt and peril of Idolatry And when Saint Iohn in a Transport fell at the Angels foot to worship him he would by no means admit of it but saith unto him See thou do it not I am thy fellow-Servant and of thy brethren that have the Testimony of Iesus worship God Revel 19.10 And again when he offered the like a second time he persists also to answer him the same manner See thou do it not for â— am thy fellow-Servant and of thy Brethren the Prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this Book worship God Ch. 22.9 The words of Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Colossians do cut off all temptations to and excuses of this fond Excess Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up with his fleshly mind Col. 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is as a Reverend Person paraphraseth it Let no man please himself and condemn you in point of worshipping of Angels as if there were some special humility in so doing undertaking to scarch into those things which he knows nothing of having no other ground for his Doctrine but his own carnal fansie Such Hereticks as these S. Augustine calls Angelicos and he frequently reflects upon their perverse practise The Angels saith he are not willing that we should sacrifice unto them but unto him whose Sacrifice they acknowledge themselves together with us to be And what is Invocation but Sacrifice as the Scripture calls it The Sacrifice of praise And again They are not good but evil Angels and Devils that desire men to Sacrifice unto them And again The Saints themselves both men and Angels will not admit that to be exhibited unto them which they know to be due unto God alone This appear'd in Paul and Barnabas This appear'd in