had a peculiar Angel to guard him and look after him then when he was in great trouble and detained in prison it doth not follow that every person and every where should have an Angel-Guardian Besides an assertion in Scripture must be distinguished from men introduced speaking in Scripture it sheweth indeed that it was the Opinion of the Iews at that time which these holy men had imbibed and drunk in Or it may be the word Angel is onely taken for a Messenger sent from Peter why should an Angel stand knocking at the door who could easily make his entrance And is it credible that the Guardian Angels do take their shape and habit whose Angels they are It is enough for us to believe that all the Angels are our Guardians who are sent to keep us and preserve us as it pleaseth God But what is their Ministry and Custody It is not cura animarum care and charge of Souls that Christ taketh upon himself and performeth it by his Spirit but ministerium externi auxilii to afford us outward help and relief It is custodia corporis they guard the bodily life chiefly Thus we find them often employed An Angel brought Elijah his food under the Juniper Tree 1 King 19. 5. An Angel stirred the waters at the Pool of Siloam Ioh. 5. 4. An Angel was the guide of the way to Abraham's servant Gen. 24. 7. He will send his angel before thee and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence Angels defend us against Enemies Psal. 34. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them 2 King 19. 35. The Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand An Angel opened the Prison doors to the Apostles Acts 5. 19. and 12. 7. But were not all these services extraordinary and Miraculous which we may not now expect Answ. The visible Ministry was extraordinary proper to those times but the invisible is perpetual and ordinary as Abraham's servant did not see the Angel in the journey The devil worketh in and about wicked men invisibly so do the good Angels Secondly Reasons Why it is so 1. To manifest the great Love and Care which God hath over his people therefore he giveth those blessed Spirits which behold his face charge concerning his people on Earth as if a Nobleman were charged to look to a Beggar by the Prince of both 2. We understand the operation of finite Agents better than infinite God is so far out of the reach of our commerce that we cannot understand the particularity of his Providence 3. To counterwork the devil evil Angels are ready to hurt us and therefore good Angels are ready to preserve us Well might the devil be so well versed in this place he hath often felt the effects of it he knew it by experience being so often encounter'd by the good Angels in his endeavors against the people of God 4. To begin our acquaintance which in Heaven shall be perfected Heb. 12. 22. Ye are come to an innumerable company of Angels USES 1. To shew the happy state of Gods people No Heirs of a Crown have such Guards as they have Christ dwelleth in their hearts as in a Throne Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith The Holy Spirit guardeth them against all cares and fears Phil. 4. 7. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Iesus Christ. And the good Angels are as a Wall and Camp about them Psal. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Mat. 18. 10. Despise not one of these little ones for verily I say unto you that in heaven their angels do alwaies behold the face of my father which is in heaven If the Angels make an account of them surely men should not despise them Yea rather God esteemeth so much of the meanest of these little ones that the good Angels who daily enjoy Gods glorious presence are ministring spirits appointed to attend them If the Lord and his Holy Angels set such a price on the meanest Christians we should be loath to despise and offend them 2. It should breed some confidence and comfort in Christians in their sore straits and difficulties when all visible help seemeth to be cut off This invisible Ministry of the Angels is matter of Faith 2 Kings 6. 16 17. And he answered Fear not for they that be with us are more than they that be with them And Elisha prayed and said Lord I pray thee open the young mans eyes that he may see And the Lord opened the young mans eyes and he saw and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha These were no other but the Angels of God which were as an host to defend them Open the eye of Faith you may see God and his holy Angels to secure you 3. Take we heed how we carry our selves because of this Honourable presence In Congregations there should be no indecency because of the Angels 1 Cor. II. IC In all our wayes let us take heed that we do not step out of Gods way Do nothing that is unseemly and dishonest they are spies upon us And it is profitable for us that they may give an account of us to God with joy and not with grief SERMON IV. MATTH 4. 7. Iesus said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God HEre is Christs Answer to the second Temptation where two things are Observable First That Christ Answered Secondly What he Answered First That Christ Answered Christ answered the more to convince and confound this old Deceiver that he might not think that he was ignorant of his sleights or that he fainted in the conflict as also to instruct us what to do in the renewed Assaults of the Devil to keep up our resistance still not letting go our sure hold which are the Scriptures Secondly What he Answered It is written c. But would it not have been more satisfactory to have said It is sufficiently manifest to me that I am the Son of God and cared for by him and that it is not for the children of God to run upon Precipices I Answer It is not for Humane Wisdom to interpose and prescribe to Christ who was the Wisdom and Power of God His Answer is most satisfactory for two Reasons 1. It striketh at the Throat of the Cause 2. It doth with advantage give us other instructions 1. Christ cutteth the throat of the Temptation by quoting a passage of Scripture out of Deut. 6. 16. Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God as ye tempted him in Massah If we must not tempt God then it doth not become Christ to tempt his Fathers Providence for a new proof of his Filiation and care over him Therefore the devils temptation was
the three fundamental Graces Faith Hope and Love so the spiritual Armour is represented 1 Thess. 5. 8. But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an helmet the hope of Salvation 1. A strong Faith 1 Pet. 5. 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith This is in the general a sound belief of Eternity or a deep sense of the World to come When we believe the Gospel with an assent so strong as constantly to adhere to the duties prescribed and to venture all upon the hopes offered therein 2. A fervent love arising out of the sense of our obligations to God that we do with all readiness of mind set our selves to do his will levelling and directing our actions to his glory Love is strong as death and many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it Cant. 8. 6 7. This love will neither be bribed nor frightned from Christ. 3. A lively Hope that doth so long and wait for glory to come that present things do not greatly move us either delights 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory or the terrors of sense Rom. 8. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us III. Doctrine That those that come out of eminent conflicts are usually delivered by God in a glorious manner Christ was a pattern of this The devil leaveth him and behold Angels came and ministred unto him When God delivered his people after a long captivity he delivered them with glory and some kind of triumph when he turned the Egyptian Captivity they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians so that they lent unto them such things as they required and they spoiled the Egyptians Exod 12. 35 36. So in the Babylonian Captivity Cyrus chargeth his subjects in the place where the Jews remain to furnish them with all things necessary for their journey Ezek. 1. 4. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth let the men of his place help him with silver and with gold and with goods and with beasts besides the free-will-offering for the house of God that is in Ierusalem So in a private instance Iob 42. 10 11. And the Lord turned the captivity of Iob when he prayed for his Friends also the Lord gave Iob twice as much as he had before Then came there unto him all his brethren and all his sisters and all they that had been of his acquaintance before and did eat bread with him in his house and they bemoaned him and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him every man also gave him a piece of mony and every one an ear-ring of gold It is said the Lord turned the captivity of Iob because he had been delivered to Satans power till the Lord set him at Liberty again and then all his Friends had compassion on him even those that had despised him before releived him So Isaiah 61. 7. For your shame you shall have double and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion therefore in their Land they shall possess the double Everlasting joy shall be unto them They should have large and eminent Honour double honour for their shame such a reparation would God make them for all the troubles and dammages they had sustained So in an ordinary Providence God raiseth up comforters to his servants after all the injuries done them by satan's instruments And so also in spirituals the grief and trouble that cometh by Temptation is recompensed with more abundant consolation after the conquest and victory and God delighteth to put special marks of favour upon his people that have been faithful in an hour of Tryal Now God doth this 1. To shew the World the advantage of Godliness and close adhering to him in an hour of temptation Psalm 119. 56. This I had because I kept thy precepts And Psalm 58. 11. So that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth 2. To check our diffidence and murmurings under trouble Within a while and Gods Children will see they have no cause to quarrel with God or repent that they were in trouble For sometimes God giveth not only a comfortable but a glorious issue There is nothing lost by waiting on Providence though we abide the blows of Satan for a while yet abide them God is it may be preparing the greater mercy for you Isaiah 25. 9. And it shall be said in that day lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Afflictions are sharp in their season but the end is glorious USE Do not always reckon upon temporal felicity refer that to God but do as Jesus who in his sharp tryals Heb. 12 2 3. For the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God There is a sure Crown of Life Iames 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him That is enough to content a Christian the eternal reward is sure In this World he shall receive with persecution an hundred fold but in the World to come Eternal Life Mark 10. 29 30. There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands with Persecutions and in the World to come Eternal Life IV. Doctrine That God maketh use of the Ministery of Angels in supporting and comforting his afflicted servants He did so to Christ he doth so to the people of Christ. Partly for the defence and comfort of the Godly Ps. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be the heirs of Salvation Their Ministry is now invisible but yet certain And partly also for the terror of their Enemies When David had said The Lord hath chosen the hill of Sion to dwell in Psalm 68. 16. he adds verse 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels implying that no Kingdom in the World hath such defence and such potent and numerous Armies as the Church hath and the Kingdom of Christ God hath
the Mount he went down to suffer at Ierusalem 2. This was an offence to the Apostles that their Master should dye Matth. 16. 22 23. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee 3. This was the Jews stumbling block 1 Cor. 1. 23. We Preach Christ Crucified to the Iews a stumbling block 4. This was prefigured in the Rites of the Law foretold in the Writings of the Prophets In the figures of the Law it was represented Heb. 9. 22. and almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no Remission especially the Apostle urgeth the entring of the High Priest with Blood to the Mercy-seat verse 23 24. All the legal Sacrifices were slain their blood brought before the Lord. So the predictions of the Prophets Isa. 53. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make thy soul an offering for sin c. And Dan. 9. 26. The Messias shall be cut off but not for himself In short that Christ should dye for the sins of the World was the great thing represented in the Law and Prophets Rabbi Simeon and Rabbi Hadersim out of Daniel that after Messias had Preached half seven years he shall be slain 5. It was necessary that by death he should come to his Glory of which now some glympse and foretast was given to him Luke 24. 46. Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and rise from the dead the third day that is with respect to the predictions verse 44. All those things which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Book of Psalms concerning me may be fulfilled and again Luke 24. 21 26. Oh fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entered into his Glory 6. The Redemption of the Church by Christ is the talk and discourse we shall have in Heaven the Angels and Glorified Spirits are blessing and praising him for this Rev. 5. 9. Thou art worthy for thou wert slain and hast Redeemed us to God by thy Blood The Angels verse 12. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and streneth and glory and honour and blessing The Redeemed Church and glorified Saints and Angels have all one song and one praise the honour of the Lamb that was slain 7. It is an instructive pattern to us that Christ in the midst of his Transfiguration and the Glory which was then put upon him forgat not his Death In the greatest advancements we should think of our desolution if Christ in all his Glory discoursed of his death surely it more becommeth us as necessary for us to prevent the surfeit of Worldly pleasures we should think of the change that is comming For surely every man at his best estate is vanity Psalm 39. 5. In some places they were wont to present a deaths head at their solemn Feasts merry dayes will not alwayes last death will soon put an end to the vain pleasures we enjoy here and the most shining glory will be burnt out to a snuff 2. The notion by which his Death is expressed his decease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the going out of this Life into another which is to be noted 1. In respect unto Christ his death was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he went out of this mortal Life into Glory and so it implyeth both his suffering Death and also his Resurrection Act. 2. 24. God hath raised him up having loosed the pains of Death because it was impossible he should be holden of it The Grave was like a Woman ready to be delivered it suffered Throws till this blessed burden was egested 2. With respect to us Peter calls his death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 15. I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease the death of the Godly is a going out but from sin and sorrow to glory and immortality as Israels going out of Egypt whence the second Book of Moses is called Exodus was no destruction and cessation of their being but a going out of the House of Bondage into Liberty Paul saith I desire to be dissolved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1. 23. a setting sail for the other World In Scripture language the body is the House the soul is the Inhabitant 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were disslolved we have a building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens The soul dwelleth in the body as a Man in a House and death is but a departure out of one House into another not an extinction but a going from House to House 3. The necessity of undergoing it in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word accomplish noteth three things 1. His Mediatorial duty with a respect to Gods Ordination and Decree declared in the Prophesies of the old Testament which when they are fulfilled are said to be accomplished Whatsoever Christ did in the work of Redemption was with respect to Gods Will and Eternal Decree Acts 4. 28. To do whatsoever thy hand and counsel determined before to be done Now this was the more binding being it was a declared counsel in the Prophesies and Figures of the Old Testament therefore Christ cryed out at his death Iohn 19. 30. It is finished or accomplished Meaning principally that the Prophesies and Figures and Types which prefigured his death were all now accomplished 2. His voluntary submission which he should accomplish noteth his Active and voluntary concurrence it is an active word not passive not to be fulfilled upon him but by him for though his death in regard of his Enemies was violent and enforced yet he voluntarily underwent it for our sakes no man could have taken his Life from him unless he had laid it down Iohn 10. 18. it was not forced upon him but he yielded to it by a voluntary dispensation as to men it was an act of violence but as to his Father it was an act of obedience as to us an act of Love on Christs part his Enemies could not have touched him against his Will as indeed they cannot also one hair of our heads but as God permitteth 3. That it was the eminent Act of his Humiliation for this cause he assumed humane Nature his Humiliation begun at his Birth continued in his Life and was accomplished in dying all was nothing without this for less could not serve the turn then the death of the Son of God then all sufferings were undergone which were necessary to take away sin therefore there is a consummation or perfection attributed to the death of Christ Heb. 10. 14. By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified there is done enough to expiate sin
either men slight sin and make light of it or sinners are apt to sorrow above measure as the incestuous Corinthian 2 Cor. 2. 17. Lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow And the Apostle sheweth there that these were the enterprizes of Satan Some men are careless of Gods interest in the World or else heated into the activity of a bitter Zeal Some are of a scrupulous Spirit that they make Conscience of all things and the devil hurrieth them into a large Atheistical Spirit that they make conscience of nothing How often have we known a fond scrupulosity to end in a prophane Licentiousness when they have been wearyed out of that kind of frame of Spirit Some are dead and heartless like Gallio care for none of these things fight Christ fight Antichrist 't is all one to them and usually they are such as formerly have been heated with a blind and bold madness As Peter at first refused to have his feet washed by Christ and then would have head hands feet and all washed Ioh. 13. 8 9. being out in both What sad work is there made in the Church of God by Solifidians and Nullifidians heretofore 't was all Faith and Free-Grace misapplied and misunderstood and now it is all Morality and Vertue while Christ is neglected and the mystery of the Gospel little set by or valued It is ever the devils policy to work upon the humour of people If they will reform the Church it shall be to a degree of separation and condemning all Churches and Christians that are not of their mode if they be for uniting Christs unquestionable interests must be trodden under foot and all care of Truth and Reformation must be laid aside If he can destroy Religion and Godliness no otherway he will be religious and godly himself but it is either as to private Christians to set them upon overdoing that he may make them weary of the service of Christ or as to the publick by crying up some unnecessary things which Christ never commanded If men be troubled with sin and see a necessity of the Gospel and prize the comforts of it the Gospel must be overgospelled or else it will not serve their turns and that over-gospel must be carried to such a length as to destroy the very Gospel and Free Grace it self The devil first tempted the World to despise the poor Fishermen that preached the Gospel but the World being convinced by the power of the Holy Ghost and gained to the Faith then he sought by Riches and Grandeur to debase the Gospel so that he hath got as much or more by the worldly glory he puts upon Christs Messengers as by Persecution Then when that is discovered the devil will turn Reformer and what Reformation is that the very necessary support and maintainance of Ministers must be taken away All over-doing in Gods work is undoing If Christ will trust the devil will perswade him to trust even to the degree of tempting God 5. Observe That the Devil himself may pretend Scripture to put a varnish upon his evil designs For here he seeketh to foil Christ with his own weapons Which serveth to prevent a double extream 1. One is not to be frighted with the mere noise and sound of Scriptures which men bring to countenance their errors See whether they be not wrested and misapplyed for the devil may quote Scripture but he perverts the meaning of it And usually it is so by his Instruments as that Pope who would prove a double power to be in himself Temporal and Spiritual by that Scripture Ecce duo gladii Behold here are two Swords Luk. 22. 38. It is easie to rehearse the words of Scripture and therefore not the bare words but the meaning must be regarded 2. The other extream is this Let none vilifie the Scriptures because pleaded by Satan for so he might as well vilifie Human Reason which is pleaded for all the Errors in the World or Law because it is urged sometimes to justifie a bad Cause For it is not Scripture that is not a Nose of Wax as Papists say It is a great proof of the Authority and honour of Scriptures that Satan and his greatest Instruments do place their greatest hopes of prevailing by perverting and misapplying of it 6. Observe That God hath given his Angels a special charge about his people to keep them from harm Here I shall show 1. That it is so 2. Why it is so First That it is so is evident by the Scripture which every where shews us that Angels are the first Instruments of his Providence which he maketh use of in guarding his faithful servants Heb. 1. 14. The Apostle saith Are they not all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be the heirs of salvation Their work and employment is to attend us at Gods direction not to be worshipped and served by us by any devotion They are ministring spirits not ours but Christs he that serveth hath a Master whom he serveth and by whom he is sent forth their work and employment is to attend us indeed but at the command and direction of their own Master they are not at our beck to go and come at our pleasure neither do they go and come at their inclination but at the Commission of God Their work is appointed by him they serve us as their Masters Children at his Command and Will and whom do they serve the heirs of salvation They are described Titus 3. 7. That being justified by grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal Life They are not Ministers of conversion and sanctification to this Ministry Christ hath called Men not Angels but in preserving the converted the Angels have an hand Therefore it is notable they are sometimes called Gods Angels Psal. 103. 21. Bless the Lord all ye his hosts ye ministers of his that do his pleasure sometimes their Angels Matth. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do alwayes behold the face of my father which is in heaven But whether every one hath an Angel-Guardian is a curious Question Sometimes one Angel serveth many Persons Psal. 34. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them And sometimes many Angels are about one person 2 King 6. 17. And behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots round about Elisha And here in the Text quoted by satan He shall give his angels charge concerning thee There is not mention made of one but many Angels and the Angels in general are said to be ministring spirits When souldiers are said to watch for a City it is not meant that every Citizen hath a Souldier to watch for him The onely place which seemeth to countenance that Opinion is Acts 12. 15. Then said they it is his Angel But if Peter
by his Instruments laying plots to take away his life as often but especially in his passion Luk. 22. 53. This is your hour and the power of darkness So Ioh. 14. 30. The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Satan shall joyn with the Iewes to destroy me but they shall find nothing to lay to my charge nor indeed have they power to do me any hurt but that in Obedience to my Fathers Will I mean voluntarily to lay down my life for sinners So he had a permitted power over him and was the prime instrumental cause of his sufferings set aside his voluntary condescension to be a Ransom for sinners satan had not any power over him or challenge against him Well then though he lost his Victory he retained his Malice 2. The second Branch the access of the good Angels and behold the Angels came and ministred to him There observe three things 1. The Note of Attention Behold the Holy Ghost would excite our Minds and have us mark this the Angels are alwayes at hand to serve Christ but now they come to him in some singular manner some notable appearance there was of them probably in a visible form and shape and so they presented themselves before the Lord to minister to him as the devil set himself before him to molest and vex him As Christs humiliation and humane nature was to be manifested by the devils comming to him and tempting Assaults so the honour of his divine Nature by the Ministry of Angels lest his temptations should seem to derogate from his Glory When we read the story of his Temptations how he was tempted in all parts like us we might seem to take scandal as if he were a mere man therefore his Humiliation is counter-ballanced with the special honour done to him he was tempted as man but as God ministred unto by Angels 2. Why they came not before the devil was departed I answer 1. Partly to shew that Christ had no help but his own when he grapled with Satan When the temptations were ended then the good Angels came least the Victory should seem to be gotten by their help and assistance They were admitted to the Triumph but they were not admitted to the Fight they were not spectators onely in the conflict for the Battle was certainly fought before God and Angels but partners in the Triumph they went away to give place to the Combate but they come visibly to congratulate the Conqueror after the battle fought and the Victory gotten Our Lord would alone foil the devil and when that was done the Angels came and ministred unto him 2. Partly to shew us that the going of the one is the coming of the other When the devil is gone the Angels come Certainly it is true on the contrary 1 Sam. 16. 14. The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him and it is true in this sense if we entertain the Temptation we banish the good Angels from us there is no place for the good Angels till the Tempter be repulsed 3. Why now and to what end was this Ministry 1. To put Honour on the Redeemer who is the Head and Lord of the Angels Eph. 1. 20 21. He hath set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principalities and powers c. and gave him to be the head over all things to the church So 1 Pet. 3. 22. Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him Christ not only as God but as Mediator hath all of them subject to him Heb. 1. 6. and unto the son he saith Let all the angels of God worship him They as subjects and servants are bound to obey him Therefore on all occasions they attend on Christ at his Birth Luk. 2. 13 14. A multitude of the heavenly host praised God saying Glory be to God on high on earth peace good will towards men Now in his Temptations the Angels came and ministred unto him At his Passion Luk. 22. 43. There appeared to him an angel from heaven strengthning him At his Resurrection an angel rolled away the stone from the grave and attested the truth of it Matth. 28. 2. At his Ascension the Angels declared the manner of his going to Heaven and return to Judgment Acts 1. 10 11. So now they come to attend Christ as Subjects on their Prince to tender their service and homage to him and receive his Commands 2. For his Consolation Inward and Outward 1. Inward as Messengers sent from God and so their comming was a token of Gods special Love and Favour to him and care over him The Devil had mentioned in one of his temptations he shall give his angels charge over thee this is a truth and in due time to be verified not at Satans Instance but when God pleased Therefore it was a comfort to Christ to have solemn Messengers sent from Heaven to applaud his Triumph 2. Outward they were sent to serve him either to convey him back from the mountain where Satan had set him or to bring him food as they did to Elijah 1 King 19. 5 6. And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree behold then an angel touched him and said unto him arise and eat And he looked and behold there was a cake baken on the coales and a cruse of water at his head and he did eat and drink and laid him down again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used is often taken in that sense in the New Testament Matth. 8. 15. She arose and ministred unto them that is served them at meat So Matth. 25. 44. When saw we thee an hungred c. and did not minister unto thee The name of Deacons is derived hence as they served tables or provided meat for the poor Acts 6. 2. So Luk. 10. 40. My sister hath left me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serve alone meaning to prepare provisions for the family so Luk. 17. 8. Gird thy self and serve me that is at the Table Again Luk. 22. 27. Whether is greater he that sits at meat or he that serveth or ministreth So Ioh. 12. 2. They made a supper and Martha served but Lazarus was one of those that sat at the table with him Thus the Angels ministred unto Christ. This sort of Ministry agreeth with what was said of his Hunger which was the occasion of Satans Temptations Secondly The Observations As Christ is a Patern of all those Providences which are dispensed to the people of God Doct. I. That the dayes of Gods peoples Conflicts and Trials will not alwayes last There are alternative changes and vicissitudes in their condition upon Earth sometimes they are vexed with the coming of the Tempter and then incouraged and cheared by the presence of Angels after stormes come dayes of Joy and Gladness the devil departeth and the angels came
Lord face to face and spake with him as a man doth with his Friend and Elias 1 Kings 19. Both had fasted fourty days as Christ also did therefore conveniently were these chosen 3. With respect to our Profit and Instruction Christ would not choose two Angels for this service but two Men. Here the business was not to see glorified Spirits but glorified Bodies therefore the Angels having no Bodies of their own and must appear in assumed Bodies if in any are not fit therefore two Men that had Bodies wherein they might appear But you will say if two men must appear in glorified Bodies why not Enoch rather then Moses who was translated into Heaven and remaineth there with a glorified Body as well as Elias Answ. Enoch had no publick charge Enoch lived before the legal dispensation these both belonged to it and were chief in it of great Authority among the Jews Enoch hath an honourable Testimony in the Word of God but had no publick office and charge in the Church which the other two had and managed with great Fidelity By the appearance of Moses the whole legal Oeconomy is supposed to appear in his Person and by the appearance of Elias the Prophetical Ministry which was a kind of Chancery to the Law is supposed to appear also Both do as it were deliver over to Christ their whole dispensation and lay it down at his feet as the Magistrates that are to go out of office solemnly resign the ensigns of their Authority to him that succeedeth and also they come both to reverence the majesty of their supream Lord. In short it is for our comfort that one that died and one alive in glory should come to shew that Christ is Lord of quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. Moses was dead Elias translated these two come the one to give a pledge of the glory of the World to come the other of the Resurrection of the dead which is the way and introduction to it and both these persons come to attend and adore our Saviour and do homage to him Secondly They appeared in glory that is in a corporeal shape shining with brightness glory as Christs body did bating only for the degree proportion that ther might be a difference between the Lord and his Servants Now whether they appeared in Bodies formed and assumed for the present purpose and to be laid down again as we do our Garments or in their own proper Bodies is often disputed by Interpreters upon this occasion That they appeared in bodies is certain for bodily acts and properties are ascribed to them as their talking with Christ their being seen by the Apostles for a spirit cannot be seen If in bodies why not their own It is as easie to the Lord to cause them to appear in their own bodies as in a body assumed for this special purpose and service and they were known by the Disciples to be Moses and Elias not by the external Lineaments for they never saw them in person before but either were made known to them by some internal Revelation or by Christs words or by some words of Moses and Elias themselves but which way soever they knew them certain it is they knew them and took them to be Moses and Elias therefore Moses and Elias they were both as to Soul and Body The Apostles that were admitted to this Transfiguration were not to be deceived by a false appearance for they were admitted to be confirmed in the Truth of Christs Person and Office that by what they saw they might confirm others How would it weaken the Testimony if what they saw appearing before them in glory were not the bodies of Moses and Elias but only other bodies assumed Concerning Elias the matter is without difficulty for since he saw not death but was translated both body and soul into Heaven why should he lay down his own body and take another to come and serve Christ upon this occasion cause sufficient there was why he should come from the blessedness of Heaven to Mount Tabor no cause why he should lay aside his own proper body It is no loss nor trouble but advantage to blessed and heavenly Creatures to be serviceable to their Redeemers Glory though it be to come out of the other into this World But concerning Moses the matter is more doubtful we read that he died in Mount Nebo and his body was buried by God in the Plains of Moab so that his Grave was known to no man unto this day Deut. 34. 5 6. Some think it was preserved from putrefaction by the extraordinary power of God that he might resume it at this time The Jews say that God sucked out Moses soul from his body with a kiss and afterwards restored it again and so he liveth in immortality but he that looketh for Divinity among the Jewish Rabbins will much sooner find a ridiculous Fable then any sound Doctrine suffice it to us that he was really dead and buryed and his body mouldred into dust as our bodies are and now on this special occasion raised out of the dust but after this whether it were laid down in dust again or carryed into Heaven it is not for us to determine it may be either according to the Analogy of the Christian Faith if his body returned to corruption again surely it is a great honour that it was raised up for this special use I say it was a great joy to these Prophets to see all their predictions fulfilled in Christ. If we say it entered into Glory what inconvenience was there If God would indulge him this peculiar Prerogative to be raised from the dead and enjoy blessedness both in soul and body before the last day He granted it to Enoch and Elias and those who came out of their Graves after Christs death Matth. 27. 53. the great Harvest is at the last day but some first-fruits before Secondly Their Conference with our Saviour they talked with him saith Matthew they spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem saith Luke they talked with Christ not with the Apostles here is an Apparition to them but no parley and intercourse between them and the glorified Saints The Saints that are glorified are out of the sphere of commerce of the living nay it is a question whether they heard at all what was said to Christ but of that in the next verse Here observe three things 1. What they spake of Christs death 2. The notion by which his death is set forth it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. The necessity of undergoing it in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he should accomplish at Jerusalem 1. What they spake of none could divine unless it had been told us and the Evangelist Luke telleth us that it was of his death This Argument was chosen 1. Because it was at hand the next solemn Mediatory Action after this was his Death and Bloody sufferings after he was Transfigured in