by nature fit so by office ready to be sent on his message and to doe his will as Gen. 19. 1. Psal. 103. 20. Matth. 18. 10. In this sense we are to take the word in this discourse of the creation of Angels For though Christ be the Angell of God and the great messenger of salvation and Gods ministers as they are Gods embassadours sent by him are Angels of the Lord yet they are not Angelicall spirits created in the first beginning they are onely Angels by office and calling not by nature in the creation Onely the heavenly spirits whom God hath made at the first fit to minister and hath since in Christ appointed to be ministring spirits for the good of them who are chosen to be heires of salvation in Christ they are Angels both by nature and office And they are the proper subject of our present discourse I proceed to the Doctrines which I will prosecute in order as they arise out of this Text. First seeing the Angels are included in this word the heaven hence we may learne that as the heavens so the Angels the host of heaven had their beginning with the highest heaven and were not in being from all eternity which point is farther confirmed by all such Scriptures as attribute a beginning to all things and tell us that they are and subsist not of themselves but from God as Rom. 11. 36. where the Apostle saith that of God and through him and to him are all things and 1 Cor. 8. 6. But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we for him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things And Revel 4. 11. and 10. 6. thou Lord hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And that God who liveth for ever created heaven and the things that therein are And that in this universality of things created the Angels are comprehended the Apostle sheweth most plainly Colos. 1. 16. where hee affirmes that all kinds of things visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all were created by him and for him But if any shall cavill and say that though they are of God and he is the cause and creatour of them yet it doth not necessarily follow that they were created in the beginning with the heavens but from eternity and as co-eternall effects have their being from God The next words which follow will cut off this objection which affirme that Christ is before all things and by him all things consist Verse 17. and therefore they had a beginning after Christ and were not co-eternall with him Reason also confirmes this drawne from the fall of a great multitude of the Angels For things eternall which were and had their being from eternity without beginning and before all times they cannot fall in time nor be changed but abide the same for ever But a great multitude of the Angels did fall And the Divell was once one of the most glorious among them and he with many others who left their habitation are reserved in chaines to the last judgement 2 Pet. 2. 4. and Jud. 6. Therefore they are but creatures made in the beginning Secondly though Angels are not circumscribed and measured by a bodily space or dimension yet they are definitively in place and where there is no place there can be no Angell as I shall shew hereafter Now before the creation of the heavens there was no place at all wherein Angels might be abide and subsist Therefore before the heavens they were not but were created with them But Angels are called Jehovah as that Angell which spake to Agar and promised to multiply her seed Genes 16. 13. and the Angell which appeared to Moses in the bush Exod. 3. 4. and the Angell which rebuked Satan Zach. 3. 1. And Jehovah is without beginning The Angell mentioned in those places was Christ the Sonne of God the Angell of the Covenant and so was Jehovah indeed the creatour of Angels the words of the severall Texts shew so much For that Angell saith I will multiply thy seed and I am the God of Abraham Therefore this Objection is of no force Angels are called the sons of God Job 1. 6. and 38. 7. Therefore they are of Gods nature and substance begotten from all eternity not created with the heavens Every son of God is not a naturall son begotten from all eternity for men are also called sons of God by creation regeneration and adoption and yet are not naturall and co-eternall sons of God And so Angels are sons First by creation in respect of the speciall image of God in which they were made and to which they are conformable Also the good Angels are sons by adoption unto God in Christ their head But none of them all is the Son of God by nature as the Apostle testifieth Heb. 1. 4 5. that is proper to Christ alone he onely is the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person and he onely is called the first-borne and the onely begotten Son of God John 1. 14 18. Therefore this Objection is of as little force as the other This point serves to shew that absolute eternity without beginning is the proper attribute of God and to communicate it to any other by holding that any other besides the one onely true God is eternall is no lesse then a sacrilegious robbery and taking from God the honour due to him For seeing Angels are all created in the beginning when the heavens were made and are not from all eternity much lesse may eternity be attributed to any other besides the true God Secondly here we see the grosse errour of Papists who worship Angels and pray unto them As also their foule mistaking and wresting of some Scriptures some examples of the Patriarchs as Abraham Jacob and Moses who did worship the Angels which appeared to them and spake unto them For these were not divers Angels but the great Angell of the Covenant Christ the Son of God appearing in the forme of an Angell who as he is Jehovah the true God so he is called by them who prayed to him and is worthy to be worshipped and prayed to but not any of the Angels which are but creatures and not Jehovah can be worthy of this honour which God requires as proper to himselfe The second Doctrine hence flowing is That all the Angels were created by that one God and three persons here called Elohim and that the Son together with the Father and the Spirit is the Lord the Creatour of them which truth is confirmed also by divers Scriptures as John 1. 3. where by the Word the eternall Son all things are said to be made and nothing without him And Colos. 1. 16. all things in heaven and in earth whether they be thrones or dominions principalities or powers all are said
labour and motion nor from idlenesse to businesse nor from strength to faintnesse or wearinesse nor from perfect to more perfect neither was any good added to him by the creation For as Saint James saith though every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh downe from God the Father of lights yet with him there is no variablenesse or shadow of change Jam. 1. 17. And Isa. 40. 20. Hast thou not knowne saith the Prophet hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his wisdome he giveth power to the faint c. Yea it were against all reason to thinke that God could be weary or faint in the creation in which he gave not onely all strength but also being to all things And seeing in the creation God did nothing but what hee willed and purposed so to doe and then to doe when he purposed and as he had willed to doe and seeing hee was infinite and all sufficient and most blessed in himselfe from all eternity if creation could not adde any perfection to him or any glory it onely revealed his glory upon others and communicated his goodnesse to them without change in himselfe or addition to his essence If any object and say that God by creation became Lord and Possessour of all creatures which being good were pleasant to him and therefore something was added to him even Lordship Dominion and Delight I answer that God in himselfe and before his owne eyes had all things actually present to him from all eternity and as sole Lord did possesse them before they had any being in themselves and therefore the addition in the creation was not to him but to the things created to which hee gave being and when hee created things in time according to his eternall purpose he received nothing to himselfe but gave to all things their being and their goodnesse 4. The fourth particular wherein the forme and manner of creation doth consist is this That things were created and brought into perfect being without any delay at all even in a moment of time and that creation is not a successive forming of things by alteration and change which requires some tract of time but a making of them perfect in a moment and bringing of them at once into perfect being This is intimated in this Chapter where wee reade that Gods creating was but this Hee said Let things be and they were that is hee made them in a moment as it were by a word and so quickly and readily as a word is spoken To which adde the testimony of David Psal. 33. 9. God spake and the eâ—rth was made he commanded and it stood fast And Psal. 148. 5. where hee saith of the heavens and of the Heaven of heavens and the Sun Moon and Starres that God commanded and they were created And indeed this is manifest by reason drawne from the nature of creation which is a making of things out of nothing and giving a forme and being which was not even in things which were made of matter before created as wee see in the foure Elements and in things brought out of them there was something even the substantiall forme of them made immediately of nothing now between the being of something and nothing there is no medium or intermiddle state therefore every thing created was created in an instant though many in a day and divers kinds one after another and not altogether in the same moment The eight and last thing in the description is the end of the creation to wit Gods revealing himselfe and communicating his glory throughout all ages of the world and for ever This is confirmed divers waies in holy Scripture First by testimonies which affirme that for God and his glory all things were made that is for the revelation and communion of God and his glory Pro. 16. 4. God hath made all things for himselfe even the wicked for the day of wrath And Isa. 43. 7. I have called him for my glory And Ver 21. This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise And Rom. 11. 36. For of him and by him and to him are all things Secondly by testimonies which shew that in the event creation doth turne to Gods glory for the revealing of him to the comfort of his Saints as Psal. 8. 1. and 19. 1 2. where it is said that the beholding of the creation makes Gods Name excellent And the Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-worke For certainly that which in time proves to bee the end that God propounded as an end before all times for hee is infinite in wisdome and providence Thirdly the holy men of God moved by Gods Spirit exhort all people to praise God for his workes of creation and pray that they may apply them to that end as Psal. 145. 10. Let all thy workes praise thee O Lord. And Psal. 148. 5. Let them praise the Name of the Lord for hee commanded and they were created Thus much for the confirmation of the description and every point of doctrine therein contained I come to the use First this doctrine serves for direction and instruction divers waies in that it shewes God to bee the author of creation and creation to be his outward worke and all things to be made by him Hereby first it leads us in a ready way to come to the knowledge of Gods wisdome power goodnesse and such like excellent attributes even by directing us to behold God in them and to discerne his eternall power and Godhead that hee is not like the Idols and false gods of the Heathen but a God of eternity before all things and all times because hee is the Creatour of them all And that whatsoever excellency is in any creature it is in God above all measure And therefore when wee see the mighty masse of the world let us thinke how great is hee which made this of nothing When we see the glory of the Sun Moon and Starres and of the whole Heavens let us thinke how glorious is hee who made this glory When wee discerne the goodnesse sweetnesse power and vertue which is in things created let us conceive that all these are without measure in God and in all excellency Secondly by this consideration it teacheth us that God onely is the true Lord and Possessour of heaven and earth worthy to be honoured served and worshipped of all and to be sought unto by praier and that all thankes are to bee given to him for all good things that hee hath right and power to dispose all things at his pleasure to whom hee will and that wee ought not to murmure at his disposing neither hath any man right to any thing but by his gift and his permission Secondly this Doctrine serves for confutation 1. Of Philosophers who held that the World was not
point in the Description of Gods actuall providence Now the meanes which God hath ordained for the manifestation of the glory of his grace and goodnesse in the eternall blessednesse of his elect they goe before in execution though the end is first in Gods intention And therefore they come to bee handled in the first place And they all may be reduced to two maine heads The first is mans fall The second is mans restauration In the fall of man sive things come to bee consideredâ— First the Commandement of God at which man stumbled and which the Divell made the occasion of mans fall The second is the fall it selfe what it was and wherein it did consist The third is the state of rebellion into which man did fall The fourth is the multitude of evils which did accompany and follow mans sin and fall The fifth is the small reliques of good which remained in mans nature after his fall The Commandement of God is plainely laid downe Gen. 2. 16 17. And therefore I will first insist upon that portion of Scripture and after will proceed to the description of the fall as it is laid downe in the third Chapter But before I proceed further let me conclude this Doctrine of Gods actuall providence with some use and application First it is matter of admirable comfort to all true Christians and faithfull people of God in that the Lord whom they have chosen for their God their rocke and confidence is so wise and provident above all ordering and disposing all things which come to passe in the World in wonderfull wisedome and by an omnipotent hand to his owne glory and the salvation of his elect in Christ. Whatsoever good commeth at any time it is the gift of God and all good blessings and benefits which they receive and enjoy from any hand or by any meanes they are so many tokens and pledges of his love and fatherly care and of his eye of providence watching over them for good And whatsoever evils of any kind breake into the World by the malice of the Divell and the outrage of wicked men they are no other nor no more but such as God in his wisedome and goodnesse is pleased willingly to permit and suffer for a far greater good to his own people and as he over-rules them all and hath set them their bounds beyond which they cannot passe so he disposeth and turneth them all to his owne glory and the manifestation of his justice and power in saving of his Church and people and in confounding and destroying all his and their enemies wherefore in times of peace plenty and prosperity when all good things and blessings of all sorts abound Let us rejoyce and glory in the Lord and give him the praise of all and offer up daily and continuall sacrifices of thankfulnesse with cheerefull hearts and willing minds studying and striving with all our might and to the utmost of our power to use and employ all his blessings to the best advantage for his glory the good of his Church and the profit of our owne soules being well assured that these are his talents committed to our trust which if wee by our faithfulnesse doe increase wee shall in the day of account and reckoning receive the reward of good stewards and faithfull servants and bee received into the joy of our Lord. But on the contrary in evill and perillous time when iniquity aboundeth sinnes of all sorts are increased piety and charity are waxen cold religion is skorned the godly persecuted and oppressed justice judgement and truth troden downe and trampled Let us not faint nor feare nor bee dejected as men without hope For the Lord our God and our keeper is a provident God his eyes neither slumber nor sleep hee seeth and observeth all these things and without his will and knowledge no evill can come to passe As the Scripture saith of Pharaoh to may wee say in this case that even for this same purpose God hath raised up these wicked persecutors and outrageous sinners that is in his just wrath hath given them up to Satan and their owne lusts to multiply sin and oppression that he may shew his power in them and make his justice glorious and name famous throughout all the earth When the nations rage and the Kingdomes are moved God can give his voice and the earth shall melt and all the works of the wicked shall bee dissolved Secondly here is matter of terrour to the wicked both them who commit sins in secret and presume to goe on in their lewd courses with a conceipt that none seeth nor taketh notice of their abominations and also them who multiply their sins openly and without feare increase their persecutions and oppressions and vex and afflict the meeke of the Earth and breake Gods people in pieces thinking that they shall never bee called to account and putting farre from them the day of reckoning Behold here the Lord who is the judge all the earth is a most provident God all their doings are naked and opened to his eyes and he observes all their wayes and wicked workes their power strength and greatnesse is from him and he wittingly and willingly suffers them to abuse them to sin and to oppression and wrong and onely so long as he pleaseth that when they have filled up their measure hee may bring them to judgement and may make them a skorne derision and footestole to the righteous whom they have skorned hated and oppressed Thus much for the actuall providence of God FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Masoreth sepes legi Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Use 5. Creation 1 2 Creatures To create what 1. 2. Author of creation Time Object Forme What word it was 1 2 3 A large description of Creation Taken into parts and proved 1. Opus ad extra Heb. 11. 3. opened 7. Manner of creation in foure things Rom. 1. 20. None but God wrought in the creation Arguments 1 2 3. 4. 8. Use 1. By creatures ascend to know God And his soveraignty over all Use 2. Confutation of six sorts of men Use 3. Repâ—oofe to â—vo sorts Use 4. Comfort for the godly Names of the creatures 1 2 3. 4. Instructions concerning the creatures Use 1. The world not eternall Use 2. Admire Gods eternity Use 3. Overlove not the world now degenerate Use 4. Not God but we need the world Use 5. Hare sin Motives The words expounded I. The beginning of time here meant Argum. 1. 2 II. III. IV. V. Doct. 1. By the creation God is seen to be infinitely wise and powerfull Use 1. Look up to the omnipotencie of the Creatour To rejoyce and â—est in him Use 2. Bewaile the contrary negligence Use 3. Checks all Atheisticall thoughts of Gods power Doct. 2. The three personsâ— are equal Use 1. Against Antitrinitaries Use 2. Trust in Christ the holy Spirit John 1. The time In the beginning Doctr. The world and all in it