innocency I have proved in this Doctrine And yet Christ taking upon him our nature which was far inferiour to the Angels and uniting it personally to himselfe as he is the eternall Sonne of God hath dignified and exalted and crowned it with glory and excellency farre above all Angels Principalities Thrones and Dominions Hebr. 2. 7. so that the holy elect and blessed Angels exalted above their best naturall estate to the immutable estate of supernaturall life immortality and glory doe adore and worship him as David fore-told Psal. 97. 7. and the Apostle affirmes Heb. 1. 6. He is the head of all and they all are made subject to him 1 Pet. 3. 22. And so wonderfull is Gods bounty to man in Christ and so powerfull and excellent is Christs mediation for the elect of mankind that by Christs mediation concurring and working together with Gods bounty according to wisdome and for the satisfaction of Gods justice a ready way is made for them into the Holy of holies the Heaven of heavens and they are not onely exalted and elevated farre above their best naturall being unto the blessed state of the glorious Angels but also the holy Angels with whom they shine in heavenly glory hereafter in the life to come are made of God ministring spirits whom Christ hath procured to minister for their good here in this world in the state of grace so that upon him as upon the Ladder in Jacobs dreame the Angels of God descend from heaven to earth and ascend from earth to heaven and doe encamp round about them to save and deliver them as David saith Psal. 34. 7. Yea and when the evill Angels shall be judged at the last day they shall through Gods infinite bounty and for the merit and worthinesse of Christ be advanced to sit upon Thrones with him and to judge and give sentence against the Divell and all his Angels as wee reade 1 Corinth 6. 3. And therefore if wee had the tongues of men and Angels we are never able to utter or expresse the infinite excellency worth and dignity of the person and mediation of Christ nor sufficiently to extoll laud and magnifie the bounty of God to poore mankind in Christ. And here we see that truly verified which the Prophet fore-told Isa. 64. 4. And the Apostle proclaimed 1 Cor. 2. 9. that since the beginning of the world the eye of man hath not seen nor his eare heard neither hath it ever entered into the heart of man what good things God hath prepared for them that love him Thirdly this Doctrine serves to worke in us a true love and reverent respect of the Angels of God as being the chiefest of Gods creatures and by nature more excellent then man in his best naturall estate and great in power able to help us more then all other creatures when God offers occasion and opportunity and gives them charge over us Every man is bound to thinke better and more reverently of other men who are in any gifts more excellent then himselfe though they be all of one nature and kind and of the same flesh and bloud And God hath put upon the beasts of the field by nature a feare and respect of man because he is a more excellent creature Now the Angels are by nature and creation more excellent then man in his best naturall estate and man in the supernaturall estate of glory shall be but equall to the elect and holy Angels And therefore as we must ever labour to decline that servile superstition and base will-worship of Angels which is condemned Colos. 2. 18. and must beware of giving divine and religious worship to them which they themselves reject and refuse being our fellow-servants and have utterly detested and forbidden when it hath been offered as appeares Revel 19. 10. and 21. 9. so we must take heed that we doe not thinke meanly of them as if they were but our servants because they minister for our good For in guarding us and encamping about us and in ministring for us they are not our servants which owe us service neither have we power to command them nor ability to requite them for the least service but they are the servants of God and of our Lord Christ and fellow-servants with all Kings Prophets and Holy men of God and as Gods Embassadors and Princely Courtiers Ministers we ought to esteem and respect them with all love and hearty affection And as in all places where there are Embassadors and noble Princes and Courtiers of great Emperours and Monarchs men will have a care to beare themselves orderly and to doe all things decently and will be affraid and ashamed to commit any absurdity or beare themselves immodestly So let us in the publick assemblies of the Saints and in holy congregations of Gods-Church where Angels are supposed sometimes to guard us and to over-look us as the words of the Preacher seem to import Eccles. 5. 6. and of the Apostle also 1 Cor. 10. 11. beare our selves reverently and beware of all vaine words filthy behaviour and beastly drowzinesse and sleepinesse as if we came to the Church like uncleane dogges for company only or to lye snorting and sleeping which is the evill custome and practice of many carnall people Fourthly this Doctrine is matter of comfort to Gods poore despised servants in that it doth assure them that the Angels which love them and as friends rejoyce in their conversion and as guardians protect and watch over them are great excellent and glorious above all earthly men And therefore though the great men of the world scorne and despise them and among such they can find no favour help or defence yet let them comfort themselves and rejoyce in this that he who is higher then the highest hath a guard to whose care and charge he hath committed them and that not of mighty men in whom there is no help but of Angels which in power strength and glory far exceed the most excellent among the sons of men 2. Corollary Secondly in that Angels were created in and with the highest heaven to be the naturall inhabitants sutable to the place hence we may gather a definition of Angels to wit that Angels are heavenly Spirits or pure and entire spirituall substances created in the beginning by God after his owne image every one of which is distinct from another by a speciall existence or proper particular being of his owne which God hath given to have in himselfe for ever First in that Angels were not made and created out of the rude masse without forme and void which is called earth and the deep nor of any other matter before made by God but in the first beginning of all things were created perfect creatures in and with the highest heavens the lively and proper inhabitants of them Hence it necessarily followes that they are pure heavenly spirits and intire spirituall substances not parts of any body or person not compounded of any
of Gods holinesse and glory and even eternity which shall never decay Secondly God hath appointed this place to be the habitation of his holy Angels which kept their standing in which he will have them to dwell and to behold his glorious face continually as our Saviour saith Matth. 18. 10. and so much is intimated Luke 2. 13. where Angels are called the heavenly host The third sort of inhabitants to whom God hath allotted these heavens is the glorified company of his Saints with Christ their head in whom they are chosen and brought to salvation Though Adam was made after Gods image yet by creation and in the state of naturall uprightnesse he was not capable nor worthy of heavenly glory that is the proper purchase of Christ for his elect and it is the gift of God in Jesus Christ which he gives only to them who are made in Christ the first fruits of his creatures sons and heires of God Our Saviour testifies so much Joh. 14. 3. where he saith that he prepares a place for his faithfull in that house of God And the holy Apostle Heb. 9. where he saith that Christ onely opened the way into this Holy of holies and that none can enter thereinto but by him the way and the doore And Ephes. 1. 3. he saith that God blesseth us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. we are said to be begotten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to the inheritance incorruptable and undesiled that never fadeth reserved in heaven for us wherefore it is manifest by the excellency of the inhabitants being none but God himselfe and the elect Angels and Saints which are most neare and deare to God that this Heaven is a place most glorious and excellent A third Argument may be drawne from the situation of it For the highest place is ever the best by the law and course of nature as our senses doe teach and we see manifestly in all knowne parts of the world and by faith we ought to beleeve that it is so in places beyond our sight especially because the Spirit of God in the Scriptures extolls the highest places Psal. 113. 5. and Isaiah 57. 15. Now the highest of all places is the third heaven in situation For Christ ascending up thither there to remaine and to make intercession for us Act. 3. 21. and Heb. 9. 24. is said to ascend farre above all other heavens and those heavens are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the high places Psal. 148. 1. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest places Ephes. 4. 8. and Heb. 1. 3. Therefore they are the most excellent and glorious places The fourth reason is drawne from the excellent things which are there laid up in store for the Saints For the wisdome of God requires that he should store up the best treasures and things in the best place and undoubtedly that place is the best where God layes up in store such treasures Now in the highest heaven are the best treasures which neither rust nor moth can corrupt nor theeves touch with unjust hands Matth. 6. 20. there is the inheritance of the Saints in light Colos. 1. 12. and the incorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet. 13. There God hath prepared for them that love him such things as neither eye hath seen nor eare heard nor mans heart conceived 1 Corin. 2. That is the place of Gods right hand and of his presence where is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal. 6. Therefore it is the best place of all Fifthly that place from whence every supernaturall good and perfect gift doth come must necessarily bee the most excellent and such a place is the highest heaven Christ the second Adam the fountaine of all blessings is said to be from heaven heavenly 1 Corinth 15. and to be the bread of life which came downe from heaven to give life to the world John 5. The calling of men to the participation of all excellent graces is called the heavenly calling Hebr. 3. 1. The gift of supernaturall grace is called the heavenly gift Heb. 6. 4. The substantiall things shadowed out under legall types are called heavenly things Heb. 8. 5. and the new Jerusalem the most glorious Church is called the heavenly Jerusalem Hebr. 12. 22. and is said to come downe from heaven Revel 21. In a word every good and perfect gift is said to come downe from above from the father of lights that is from heaven Jam. 1. 17. Therefore this heaven must needs be a most excellent place Sixthly the Spirit of God in the Scriptures doth describe and set forth this Heaven by all the things which are or have been most excellent in this world and doth make thâ—m but types and shadowes of it as first by the earthly Paradise in which God put Adam in the state of innocency which was the sweetest and most excellent place that ever was knowne in the world 2 Cor. 12. 4. by the hill of Zion which was most beautiful for situation and the joy of the whole earth Heb. 12. 22. By Jerusalem the most glorious citie of all the world the place which God chose to put his Name there Gal. 4. 26. and by the Temple of Jerusalem the most glorious Sanctuary of God and the Holy of holies Psal. 11. 4. and 18. 7. Habak 2. 20. Heb. 9. 12. and 10. 9. Therefore this Heaven is most excellent Lastly that this Heaven is a place of wonderfull light and glory and a worke of God which shall never be changed or perish but stand and endure for ever it appeares by the light which hath shined from thence and by the eternity of the things which God hath annexed to it The light which shined from thence on Saint Paul at mid-day did surpasse the brightnesse of the Sun Act. 26. 13. And the house which the faithfull have there prepared for them is said to be eternall in the heavens 2 Corin. 5. 1. And the inheritance there reserved is said to be immortall 1 Pet. 1. 3. and the life which the elect shall live there is called life eternall Therefore it is a most blessed place Now though some Scriptures seem to speak to the contrary that the heavens shall perish as Psal. 102. 26. and that heaven as well as earth shall passe away Matth. 24. 35. and the heavens shall passe away with a noise 2 Pet. 3. 10. and be burnt with fire Yet the truth is they speak not of the highest heaven which was with the Angels created immediately out of nothing but of the visible fiery and starry heavens which were created out of the same rude masse the common matter of the aire water and earth They may be burnt and set on fire and passe away but the highest heaven being not of the same common matter no fire can take hold of it Now these instructions concerning this first worke of God
that is all must either voluntarily as they are bound in duty give all obedience and honour to him and pray humbly in his name to God or by his power bee forced and compelled to bow under him as a Iudge and yeeld to his will Philip. 2. 10. 11. Limited Dominion is not over all creatures but onely over creatures of the inferiour World fish fowles and beasts neither is it a right and power given to that Lord and Ruler to doe with the creatures what hee will and to use them as hee listeth but onely to make them obey and serve him so farre as the superiour Lord doth thinke them fit and convenient for his use for his present state condition This limited Lordship delegated Dominion doth vary and alter together with the state and condition of him to whom it is given and it is sometimes and in some Persons greater and in some lesser according to their severall states and conditions and their severall dispositions and behaviour towards the supreme Lord to whom all power and Dominion doth absolutely belong over all creatures This indeed is the Dominion which God in this text gave to our first and in them to their posterity This Dominion is limited to fishes fowles beasts creatures living on earth as the words of the text plainely shew Secondly while man continued in his innocency and integrity as he had power ability given and continued to him to rule order and dispose all those creatures aright in all things so hee had a true right and interest in them given and continued by God Thirdly as there was a bond of duty laid by God on these creatures to obey man and to yeeld to his upright will so there was a disposition inclination and fitnesse in them to obey man in all things which hee in his wisedome thought fit And therefore this Rule and Dominion it may bee called dominium paternum a fatherly loving and sweet Dominion and Rule of man over them But this Rule and Dominion being forfeited by man and lost by mans sin and fall together with his owne life and welbeing is no more to bee challenged or usurped by man or by any of his posterity but onely so farre as it is restored by Christ who is the haire of all things and the onely begotten Son by whom the Father made all things and by whom as by the Lord creatour with himselfe hee gave this Dominion to man created in his image Now this Dominion Christ hath restored to men in divers and severall degrees as they differ in state and condition First to the elect and faithfull Christ hath purchased and procured that they as they are his members united to him and adopted to bee children of God in him should have a right and interest in all things not onely on earth but also in heaven so that they may make use of all things so farre as they serve to helpe and further them in the way to heaven and to the fruition of God so much is testified 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. where the Apostle saith all things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods Over the creatures on earth they have that Rule and Dominion given which is mentioned in my text but with some difference as may appeare in divers particulars First Adam had rule over them onely to order them and make use of them for contemplation and delight Secondly Adam had Rule and Dominion over them all in his owne Person but the elect have now a generall right to all but not a speciall right every man in his owne Person to every living creature They may make use of all living creatures which come within their sight and knowledge to contemplate on them but they may not take into their possession nor kill eat and take spoile of any but such as are wholly loose from other men and which God by lawfull meanes gives and puts into their hands Thirdly as Adam had power and ability to call and command all living creatures so they had an inclination and disposition to obey him But the elect have not that naturall power and ability nor the creatures that inclination because of the vanity and corruption which still remaines untill the full redemption come and all things bee restored and all creatures delivered from bondage of corruption and restored to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8. 21. So much as God in his wisedome findes fit for man in this estate of grace so much power over the creatures hee gives to him and so much inclination and fitnesse to the creatures Secondly to men unregenerate Christ hath purchased and procured a kind of common and secondary Right and Dominion over the creatures that is both power and liberty to use them so farre as they serve for the common weale and order of the World and the benefit of the elect Some have possession given them and power over the creatures that they may live and grow and continue in being till the time of their conversion and regeneration when they shall have a true interest in Christ and to all things in and through him Some wicked men not elect have them lent of God and Christ hath procured that they should have the use and possession of them either for the good of the elect who live among them or the benefit of their elect successors and chosen posterity which naturally shall come of them and to whom they shall bee instruments of naturall being So long as unregenerate men have possession of creatures either given by men or gotten by industry labour and other meanes which are not civilly and naturally unlawfull so long they have Dominion over them and power to use them joyned with civill right which Gods law allowes by the procurement of Christ and for his sake I have a little digressed and gone beyond my bounds in speaking of this Rule and Dominion as it is restored by Christ for that is proper to the state of grace and not to bee handled under the creation It is dominium regium regall Dominion or rather in part tyrannicall and violent in respect of the creatures which are naturally so averse from it and their native inclination is quite against it in some measure and degree The third thing next in order after Dominion is the foode which God allotted both to man and to other living creatures on earth in the state of innocency expressed Verse 29. 30. I have given you every herbe bearing seed which is upon Earth and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yeelding seed to you it shall bee for meat 30. And to every beast fowle and creature living on earth I have given greene herbe for meat and it was so Now here wee cannot understand the creating of herbes trees and grasse