Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A41688
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The court of the gentiles. Part IV. Of reformed philosophie wherein Plato's moral and metaphysic or prime philosophie is reduced to an useful forme and method / by Theophilus Gale.
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Gale, Theophilus, 1628-1678.
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1677
(1677)
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Wing G142; ESTC R25438
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525,579
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570
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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