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
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
an unclean and impure spirit Saint Luke 11.24 and takes up his habitation upon choice among the Swine Saint Matth. 8.31 V. And lastly a fervent love and peace and concord as much as lieth in us one with and towards another For thus it is among the holy Angels And to this some refer that of Bildad qui facit concordiam in sublimibus Job 25.2 He maketh peace in his high places And again that of God unto Iob. ch 38.37 which the vulgar Latin reads concâ—â—tum coeli quis dormire faciet Who can lay asleep the harmony of Heav'n And nothing doubtless is more grateful to them than to see the like among us below Behold how good and how plâ—asant a thing it is to them as well as our selves for brethren to dwell together in unity Ps. 133. This saith Saint Cyprian brings the greatest pleasure not only to faithful men and those that know vertue but unto the Coelestial Spirits also whom the Scripture represents as rejoycing over one Sinner that râ—pentâ—th and so returns to the bond of unity which could not saith he be verified of the Angels that have their conversation in Heaven were they not some way united also unto us who rejoice in our union and on the contrary are troubled when they see us divided and at variance There is not any temper that gratifies and invites the envious and mischievous one the Devil more than malice and ill-will strife and contention By our undue heats and inordinate wrath we give place unto him He is known by his foaming rage and cloven-foot And on the other side there is nothing more acceptable as I said to the good Angels than brotherly love and unity peace and agreement whereby we conform our selves to their charity and participate in a degree their blissful and serene state of amity and friendship which is indeed a very Heav'n upon Earth The Conclusion If therefore we are followers of this angelical obedience devotion humility purity love and peace we need not doubt but they will delight in our converse as agreeable and look upon us as their kindred and familiars and consequently take pleasure in ministring unto us here upon earth until at last they bring us in safety and with triumph out of an uncertain and evil World into those blessed Regions of unmixed and durable joy and happiness where we shall be added to their Choire and sing perpetual Halelujah's with them in Notes far above our present reach unto the glory of God Almighty both their and our most Sovereign Lord and Gracious Benefactor Which he of his infinite mercy grant for Christ his sake To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be given by us for the hopes of this and all other Blessings all Honour Praise and Adoration now and for ever Amen O clementissime Deus qui per sanctos Angelos deducis nos per hujus vitae Eremum da ut per eosdem deducamur ad caeleste regnum Amen Collect for the Second Sunday after Trinity O Lord who never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love to whom peculiarly thou hast promised the guard of thy holy Angels to encamp about them keep us we beseech thee under the protection of thy good providence and that we may be qualified for it make us to have a pâ—rpetual fear and love of thy holy Name through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Collect for the fourth Sunday after Epiphany O God who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot keep our selves or always stand upright Grant us such strength and protection from the assistance of thy holy Spirit and the Ministry of thy holy Angels as may support us in all dangers and carry us safe through all temptations through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Collect for the sixth Sunday after Epiphany O God whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil and make us the Sons of God and Heirs of Eternal Life Grant us we beseech thee that having this hope we may purifie our selves even as he is pure that when he shall appear again with great power and glory attended with those holy Angels which now by thy appointment Minister unto us upon Earth we may be made like not only unto them but unto him in his eternal and glorious Kingdom where with thee O Father and thee O holy Ghost he liveth and reigneth ever one God world without end Amen Blessed God whose Throne is encircled with Myriads of glorious Spirits that vail their Faces with their Wings as not being able to behold the brightness of thy Majesty and delight in their attendance upon those Ministries whereunto thou hast appointed them we thy most unworthy Creatures in all humility prostrate our selves at thy Footstool desirous with that holy Choire of Angels and Arch-angels and all the Host of Heav'n to laud and magnifie thy great and glorious Name in and for all thy Works and beseeching thee to give us grace to do thy will on Earth as it is done in Heav'n and so to follow the exemplary obedience devotion condescension purity and charity of thy sacred Angels as to oblige their constant Ministry to our necessities here and be advanced hereafter to a more intimate and happy society with them in the life to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS AN APPENDIX CONTAINING SOME REFLECTIONS UPON Mr. WEBSTER'S Displaying of Supposed WITCH-CRAFT WHEREIN He handles the EXISTENCE and NATURE of ANGELS and SPIRITS LONDON Printed for Hen. Brome at the Gun at the West-end of S. Pauls Church 1678. Reflections on Mr. Webster's Discourses against the Incorporeity of Angels or Spirits WHile the fore-going Treatise of Angels was under the Press there came to my hands a learned and laborious Volume of Mr. Iohn Webster Practitioner in Physick call'd The Displaying of supposed Witchcraft wherein also he discourseth of the Existence and Nature of Angels and Spirits Upon the perusal of which I have noted some things which I conceive it pertinent for me to reflect here a little upon I shall not presume to censure any thing of the main design and scope of this industrious Author in the prosecution of which he hath indeed heaped together many rare and excellent Observations worthy to be considered of for the improving Knowledge and rendring all men cautious how they pronounce of such abstruse Subjects Much less shall I espouse any man's particular Hypothesis and Quarrel or attempt the Defence of those eminently worthy Persons whom he hath singled out for his Antagonists the Reverend and Learned Divines Dr. Casaubon Mr. Glanvil Dr. H. More who are better able and more concern'd to speak for themselves Onely I wish for his own sake that he had treated them with more respective terms than those of Scurrilous Impudent Witch-mongers which he so freely
are of a Rank and Degree above us a more excellent sort of Beings than Men are SECT 1. That there are such real Subsistences 1. That there is such a Species of Beings that there are such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 real and external Subsistences and that they are not â—mia rationis Notions only Creatures of our brain Chimera's of our fansie or impressions made upon the imagination or meer Dreams and Appearances or Visâ—oâ—s or a Noise in the air as some have representâ—d nor yet only certain Divine inâ—luences and inspirations or certain aâ—fections and dispositions in Men Vâ—rtues or Vices as others have conceived but true personal and pâ—rmanent Subsistences that have of themselves a real pâ—rfect and actual Being The Sadducâ—es say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thâ—re is no Râ—surrâ—ction neither Angel nâ—r Spirit Act. 23.8 They believed that there was a God saith Grotius but nothing else besides which was not perceptible by their bodily Sâ—nses They looked not on Angels as really subsisting nor on the Soul of man as continuing afâ—er its separation â—rom the body and consequently denyed a Reâ—urrection But the following words as he wâ—ll observes seem to intimate their opinion of Angel and Spirit as one and the same thing The Pharisees confess both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not making three distinct particulars of the before-named but two onely which is also favour'd by the verse immediately succeeding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a Spirit or â—n Angel have spoken to him Where those two words are equivalent It seems very strange now to conceive That the Saddâ—â—â—es should say There were no Angels or Spirits whom all agree to have owned the five Books of Moses wherein are many evident Reports on Record of their Appearances and Operations and more wonder still if what Iosephus is said to relate be true of them that they received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Scriptures of the old Testament and rejected onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unwritten Traditions And therefore the Learned and Judicious suppose that their meaning was not to deny Angelos esse that there had been and were Angels so call'd but onely Spiritus esse immortales per se subsistentes that they were immortal and self-subsistent Spirits looking upon them but as certain apparitions â—or a time and such as vanished away when their Embassie or Message was dispatch'd And yet the whole Story of the Bible is a sufficient confutation of this vain conceit also which tells us those things of their Nature Multitude Order Ministries Rewards and Punishments from whence we must needs conclude them to have a real personal and permanent Subsistence I will not go about to mention the particulars here because they will be plentiful enough in the following parts of this Treatise It shall suffice therefore to set it down as a Point de Fide clearly deliver'd in the Holy Scriptures from whence we have all our certain and distinct knowledge about the Angels that there are undoubtedly such Beings Maximus Tyrius enquires of those who doubted of Socrates his Daemon whether ever they had read Homer speaking of the same thing under other Names as Minerva Iuno Apollo Eris and such-like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he calls them not that they were such as described by the Poet but that those Names imported certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assisting of excellent Persons both sleeping and waking And then he concludes his conviction thus If once thou thinkest that there are no such Beings take notice that thou must proclaim war against Homer and renounce Oracles and Prophecies and disbelieve credible Reports and declare against Dreams with their Interpretations And at last bid Adiâ—u to Socrates I may with greater Authority ask our Modern Sadduceâ—s Whether ever they have read the Book of God and therein observed the many and various passages concerning Angels set down at large and seriously admonish them to beware in time how they oppose or dispute against Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles In like manner as our B. Saviour said to their Ancestors Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Or as S. Mark hath it Do ye not therefore err because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God SECT II. That thâ—y are for Excellencie above us I add 2. That they are of a rank and degree above Men. Man is the Top of the visible Creation To whom God hath given Dominion over the works of his hands as the Psalmist witnesseth And therefore our B. Saviour puts the Question as to other Creatures Are ye not much better than they poâ—nting to the Fowls of the Air And the Apostle S. Paul having mentioned a Law providing for â—eaâ—ts commâ—nts thus upon it Doth God take care for Oxen or saith he it altogether for our sakes And before them Iob's Friends Bildad not without indignation Wherefâ—re are we accounted as the Beasts And Elihu positively God our Maker teachâ—th us more than the Beasts of the Earth and maketh us wiser than the Fowls of the Heaven With all whom agrees well that of Ovid Sanctius his animal mentâ—sque capacius altae dâ—erat adhuc quod dominari in caetera possit Factus homo est That also of Iuvenal separat haec nos i. e Ratio à grege mutorum atque ideò venerabile soli sortiâ—â—â—ngemum divinorúmque capaces c. Sat. 15. Man is no fortâ—â—â—nous careless and uncontriv'd piece of work hundled up in haste as Seneca hath it but such as Nature hath none greater to glory of among her rarest and most exquisite draughts Cicero also to a like purpose Animal hoc providum sagax multiplex acutum memor plenum rationis consilii quem vocamus Hominem praeclâ—râ quâdam conditione generatum à summo Deo c. Lib. 1. de Legib. Hierocles placeth him between Heaven and Earth as participant of both Lives the lowest of Superiour but the first of all Inferiour Beings and by the possession of Vertue or Vice becoming by turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God or a Beast He hath indeed his Body in common with the Beasts but his Soul and Reason with the Gods as Epictetus tells us This briefly of Man's Excellency But yet no disparagement to him the Angels are his betters Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels saith the Psalmist which our Apostle applies even to Christ too wiâ—h reference to that Mortal Nature of ours which he assumed We may therefore note our B. Saviour's climax when he speaks of the uncertainty of the time of future Judgement But of that day and hour knoweth no Man no not the Angels of Heaven Where if Angels were not supposed beyond Man it had been â—lat and dull to have added no not the Angels of Heaven And as they excel us thus in knowledge so also in
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
the one and onely uncreated and the Angels are created Spirits Substantiae spirituales as Tertullian also calleth them whatever he thought of their incorporeity Here brieâ—ly we must examine what a Spirit is and then what kind of Spirits Angels are SECT I. Spirits Not to search into the different significations of the word Spirit as it is sometimes taken we mean by it here according to the most proper and known acceptation and use of it which is the best rule of speech An incorporeal or bodyless Being endued with understanding will and active power And whatever incompossibility jargon or non-sense some haughty scorners have talked of in the Notion of an immaterial or incorporâ—al substance as if the words flatly contradicted and destroyed each other and were such as however men put together they could never have the conception of any thing answerable to them those who have inured their minds to a more sober thoughtfulness and skill the difference between intellect and imagination find it as clear and distinct and no whit more intricate perplexed or difficult than that which the ablest Philosophers can give us of a Body The immediate Attributes or intrinsick Properties of the one being as plainly and easily intelligible as of the other and naked Essences we have no knowledge of Essence or Being is the common Term under which all things are represented to our minds and we distinguish them only by their proper and peculiar adjuncts or attributes and from thence divide them into their respective Classes of Substances and Accidents entia per se per aliud material and immaterial corporeal or incorporeal res extensa res cogitans or whatever else it is that others chuse to describe them by for I list not here to enter upon that Controversie Theodoret in his Dialogues hath enough to serve my turn Q. What are the properties of the Soul or Spirit A. To be endued with Reason simple immortal invisible Q. What is proper to the Body A. To be compounded visible mortal Spirit stands opposed to Body We read when the Disciples were affrighted supposing they had seen a Spirit Iesus said unto them Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have In the same Phrase as Homer speaks of the Souls of the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to a like purpose the Platonist The Natures of Demons are not flesh nor bone nor blood nor any thing else that is corruptible and capable of dissolution or liquefaction It is remarkably explained in the Nazaren's Gospel cited by Ignatius and Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bodyless Demon or Spirit without a body And accordingly Dr. Hammond here paraphraseth it Ye doubt or suspect me to be a Spirit without a body It is very I body and soul together But lest any should here object that in some Manuscripts the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which also we find elsewhere S. Matth. 14.26 and S. Mark 6.49 a spectrum or apparition though I conceive that supposeth our Doctrine of Spirits they may please to note farther how the Apostle S. Paul contra-distinguisheth these two Flesh and Blood on the one side and Spirits on the other For we wrestle not against flesh and blood saith he but against spiritual wickednesses or wicked Spirits as the Syriac there hath it A Spirit is a Being which we cannot touch with our hands or see with our eyes as we do Bodies which is not the object of our external senses nor can be pointed at with the finger or pictured out to us in its proper nature there being nothing like it in the whole visible world of Bodies and nothing so near of kin to give us any sensible resemblance of it as the wind or animal Spirits are whose force and power we feel but yet cannot behold either of them Whence probably anima and animus were derived from the old Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the most positive best and easiest conception we can frame of a Spirit is certainly by reflecting upon our own Souls For the Soul of man is also a Spirit The Spirit of man within him opposed to his body of Flesh. And they are strangely out who take the measures of man by his outward appearance and Carcase only Solomon speaks of man's dissolution with reference also to his original Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God that gave it Agreeable to which are those excellent Verses of Phâ—cylides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Our Spirit is the Gift and Image of God For we have our Body out of the Earth and as to that part all of us being dissolved into the same become dust again but then Heaven receiveth our Spirit again which came from thence The words of Lucretius do fitly enough express as much provided onely that we construe them in a Diviner sense than he intended Cedit item retrò de terrâ quod fuit ante In terras quod missum est ex aetheris oris Id rursùm coeli rellatum Templa receptant When our B. Saviour had cried out on the Cross Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit He gave up the Ghost saith the Text that is emisit Spiritum he sent forth his Spirit and Ghost is the most proper word for a separated or departed Spirit Accordingly we read of the Spirits of just men made perfect Now the Spirit or Soul within us is the principle of all our thoughts and knowledge of all our will and choice of all our Life and motion These then are the proper attributes of a Spirit Understanding Will and Vital motion or self-activity and power of moving other things And this notion we shall find applicable both to God and Angels When we speak of God we must think of nothing material 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither dimensions nor colour nor figure nor any other bodily passion We may indeed define him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the most conspicuous Beauty but not a beautiful Body He is a Spirit and the Spirit of Man his imperfect image And by so affirming we not onely exclude him from the number of visible sensible and Corporeal Beings whose Understanding and Knowledge is infinite who wills and nills chuseth and refuseth according to that infinite Understanding and Knowledge who hath Life in himself and acts according to his will and choice a Being of most soveraign wisedom goodness and power Such is the Idea of the most excellent Spirit Thus Anaxagoras defined him Infinitam mentem quae per scipsam moveatur and thus he is described by Cicero Mens soluta libera segregata ab omni concretione mortali omnia
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
Deorum And Homer is by many call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter admirabilem scilicet multarum rerum cognitionem And Proclus will have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be used in divers respects 1. God alone saith he is ipsâ essentiâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. omnia sciens omnibus prospiciens Whom Plato likewise calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Angels are so comparatione because they do proximè ad Dei scientiam accedere idque naturâ suâ And then 3. The Soul of Man is so habitu by vertue of its acquisitions Zanch. de oper Dei p. 1. l. 2. c. 1. Their faculties and capacities are abler and larger than ours They are undique oculati full of eyes before and behind They are more privy than we to the Almighty's Councels Standing in his presence and beholding of his face And then their time for observation and experience hath been much longer even from the first of the Creation which must needs make a vast addition to the treasure of their knowledg always growing and increasing For with the antient is wisdome and in length of days is understanding And yet their knowledg is not infinite and boundless but limited and confined Some things are hidden from them as the Day of future judgment Some things are proper and peculiar to God only to know as the secrets of mens hearts and those future contingents which depend upon the free-will and determination of reasonable creatures The Angels we presume have a deep and searching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or skill of guessing beyond the ablest Sons of Art that are most vers'd in Natures Secrets and the History of the World and so can readily foretel such things as necessarily depend upon certain natural causes though to us unknown and make shrewd conjectures of other matters But the certain fore-knowledge and prediction of things to come which are purely voluntary and contingent must be reserv'd to God himself who sometimes makes his appeal thereunto as that which is not communicable to any other besides shew the things that are to come hereafter saith he that we may know that ye are Gods Whereto agree 〈◊〉 notable saying of Pacuvius Nam si qui quae eventura praevideant Equiparent Iovi As to the distinct manner of Angelical knowledge natural or revealed per suam essentiam per species vel imagines à Deo inditas nec ratiocinando ut nos sed magis simplici intuitu or the way of communication which they have either among themselves or unto mortals their tongues and language whether it be only voluntatis actu imperio as in God to will is to effect and our inward operations and bodily motions much depend on the nutus inclination and determination of the will 't is somewhat beyond our present dull apprehension who dwell in clay and therefore the inquiry after it fit to be respited donec Elias venerit as the Jews speak or to the other World Hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon Earth as the Wiseman observes and with labour do we find the things before us but things that are in Heaven who hath searched out And as Zanchie saith none but fools will be bold and peremptory in defining this matter Quid enim opus ut haec atque hujusmodi affirmentur vel negentur vel definiantur cum discrimine quando sine discrimine nesciuntur ut D. August optimè Enchirid. c. 59. Secondly The Power and Might of these Spirits is great and considerable Spirit is a word that connotes Power as Flesh doth Weakness So it is said of the Egyptians They are Men and not God and their Horses Flesh and not Spirit And the Angels are said not only to be mighty and strong but to excell in strength or to be mighty in strength and by Saint Peter as I shewed before described with this attribute of preference unto men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a being greater in might and power Hence are they call'd God's Host. When the Angels of God met Iacob he said This is God's host and he call'd the name of that place Mahanajim i. e. Two Hosts or Camps for the word is of the dual number as P. Fagius notes and some of the Jews he tells us refer it to Iacob's Host or Company that he had with him and this Host of God which met him there but others of them to two Hosts of Angels there meeting together the one that guarded him out of Mesopotamia and the other came out of Chanaan to receive him as their charge upon his return it being a common opinion among them that certain Angels are deputed to every Province or Region of which more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hereafter Whatever there be in this Comment there is no doubt saith Saint Augustin but the Hosts which Iacob saw were a multitude of Angels call'd in Scripture the heavenly Militia or Host of Heaven And they are indeed a puissant and mighty Host resembled else-where to Horses and Chariots of Fire 2 King 2.11 and c. 6.17 You may guess at their strength a little by their exploits on Record One of them slew all the first-born in Egypt both of Men and Cattel in a night One of them in another night destroy'd all Sennacherib's formidable Army to the number of an hundred fourscore and five thousand One of them restrained the flames of that raging fire into which the three Confessors were cast so that it touched not so much as their garments though it devoured their Executioners One of them stopt the mouths of the hungry and ravenous Lyons from seizing upon Daniel in their Den. One of them smote off Saint Peters Fetters and caused not only the Prison-door but the Iron-gate of the City to open to him Not to give any further instances It was a saying of Luther's unus Angelus potentior est quà m totus mundus One Angel is of greater power than the whole world beside But yet all their power is subjected unto God and nothing if compared with his Omnipotence They can do nothing but what he pleases nec est in Angelis quidquam nisi parendi necessitas and therefore in the same place where they are acknowledg'd by the Psalmist to excel in strength they are said also to do his commandments hearkning unto the voice of his word III. Their agility speed and swiftness is extraordinary moving like lightning from one end of Heaven to the other compared therefore to a flame of fire which also penetrates the hardest Bodies Hence are they represented to us alati with wings to flie Isa. 6.2 In the same sense as Wings are attributed to the Wind by the Psalmist and by Poets to the Thunder-bolt And so the Heathens feigned Mercury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hesiod calls him the nimble Angel or Messenger of the Gods to be winged This their quickness and agility in motion
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
infirmities as Christ himself according to that known Maxime Apostolus cujusque ut quisquâ— translated by our Saviour to this purpose He that heareth you heareth me and he that dâ—spiseth you despiseth me Saint Luke 10.16 And then again by this means hath God provided foâ— the safety of his Church as Zanchy notes That fâ—lse and wickâ—d Doctrines might not be obtruded on her for true and holy by evil Angels transforming themselves into Angâ—ls of Light or a wide door opened unto deceitful Enthusiasms and Revelations coâ—trary to the Gospel deliveâ—'d by Christ and his Apostles It pleased him saith he to make the Angels Ministers of the Law in Mount Sinai and uâ—der the New-Testament that they should send men to be taught and instructed by the Apostles that we might be assured that they never propound any doctrine opposite to the Prophetical and Apostolical and therefore if there be any such in the World that it is not from the Angels of God but from the Devil and Aâ—tichrist We are not 't is true to limit the Almighty but that he may still imploy the holy Angels upon certain Messages Admonitions and Instructions as he pleases and likely enough it is that many useful notices are communicated from them Artes praeeunt aut docent quaedam humano ingenio nunquam eruenda ostendunt Lipsius Phys. Stoic l. 1 Diss. 19. Vsus etiam Musicae omnisque disciplinae medicinae artis gymnasticae si quae sit his similis nobis subministrant Porphyr deabstin l. 2. s. 38. Quod Plato intellexisse videtur cum Philosophiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellarit Quò spectat etiam Ciceronis illud Philosophiâ— quid est aliud nisi ut Plato ait Donum ut Ego inventum Deorum Tuscul. l. 1. M. Antonini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 1. s. 17. But the way of Salvation is already prescribed to us and setled by a sure word of Prophesie in the holy Scriptures which we are to give heed unto as an unerring Rule and Guide So that we must not look for or hearken unto any other Gospel Saint Paul as to this is cleer and positive Though we or an Angel from Heav'n preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed as we said before so say I now again if any one preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 9. which we are the more carefully to mind because there may be sometimes Diabolical delusions pretending to be Angelical and Divine Revelations 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. and we are warned Not to believe every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God because many false-Prophets are gone abroad in the World 1. Ep. of S. Iohn 4.1 We read of a Spirit that said in Ahab's time I will go forth and be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets 1 Kings 22.21 22. Nor was this peculiar unto that season only for the holy Ghost speaketh expresly as Saint Paul tells us That in the later times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking lies in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4.1 2. This then we are to conclude upon for our security against all dangerous Impostures that a good Angel an Angel of Light can never come unto us upon any errand contrary to the revealed Word and Will of God by Jesus Christ whom they all adore and worship This is the Chart or Paper they bear always in their hand that I may allude to what was said of the description made in Cebes Table at the bâ—ginning The Law was given by their Ministry and the Gospel published with their acclamations And what the Prophet Isaiah hath said against those who consult the Devil and his Instruments is worthy also of our remembrance Chap. 8.9 10. When they shall say unto you seek unto them that have Familiar Spirits and unto Wizzards that peep and that mutter or that cant should not a People seek unto their God as if he had said how incongruous and absurd is it to forsake the Oracles of God and enquire of the Devils To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word whatever New Light they may possibly pretend unto it is because there is no Light in them Secondly It is a particular charge given to the Angels to be our Keepers to ward off dangers from us as Souldiers to guard us as Nurses to bear us in their Arms and as Guides to direct us in wayes full of peril hazard and uncertainty The Phrases used by the Psalmist are apposite to this purpose The Angel of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 castrametatur circum encampeth round about them that fear him Ps. 34. And There shall no evil befall thee for he shall give his Angels charge over thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep thee in all thy ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone Ps. 91.10 11 12. With this therefore Abraham encourageth his Servant when he sent him to seek a Wife for his Son Isaac The Lord God of Heaven shall send his Angel before thee Gen. 24.7 Which he when he comes to tell his Story thus repeats He said unto me the Lord before whom I walk will send hiâ— Angel with thee and prosper thy way v. 40. And when Iacob return'd to his Father's House from the service of Laban the Angels of God met him in the way of whom he said Thâ—â— is God's Host Gen. 32.1 2. of which before and he had good experience of their protâ—ction This was the support which God gave unto Moses in his conduct of the People of Israel Exod. 23.20 c. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prâ—pared Beware of him and obâ—y his voice provoke him not for he will â—ot pardon your transgressions for my Name is in him But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak then I will be an Enemy unto they Enemies and an Adversary unto thy Adversaries for mine Angel shall go before thee and bring thee in unto the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites and I will cut them off And again he renews the same encouragement ch 33.2 I will send an Angel before thee and I will drive out the Canaanite the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite When a formidable Army of Syrians had surrounded Dothan where Elisha was to apprehend him so that his Servant was at his wits end upon it Elisha thus comforts him Fear not for they that be with us are more than they that be with them 2 Kings 6.14 15. whereby he meant the Host of Angels that pitched
love to us that passing by the Angels he took hold of man an inferiour sort of Creatures nay and exalted our humane nature into a most intimate conjunction with his Deity so that the Angels now take it both for their duty and happiness to adore him clothed with that nature and for his sake imploy themselves in attendance and ministries about us And the Psalmist represents this as comfort sufficient against the snare of the Fowler and the noysome pestilâ—nce the terrour by night and the arrow that flyeth by day the plague that walketh in darkness and the destruction that wasteth at Noon-day that is all the assaults of Men and Devils that seek to do us mischief sleeping or waking by night or day as some understand the words and all manner and kinds of evils secret or open ab incursu nequam spirituum qui noctu vigilant Daemonii meridiani J. Pricaeus in Ps. 91. Nec homines nâ—c Daemones nocâ—re possunt intelliguntur autem Daemones per pavorem noctis pestem grassantem in meridic Munster ibid. even this He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee to keep thee in all thy ways Psal. 91. And when he had élsewhere mentioned the encamping of this Heavenly Host about them that fear God Ps. 34. he adds immediately upon it O taste and see that the Lord is good even from this instance of his goodness blessed is the man that trusteth in him O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him If need be the Angels shall come and minister unto them so that they shall have meat from Heaven even Angels food It well becomes us to take some time particularly to consider of the manifold Benefits we reap from the holy Angels that we may admire and praise God with devout S. Bernard Lord what is man that thou thus thinkest on him Thou sendest to him thine only begotten Son Thou sendest into him thy holy Spirit Thou promisest him the light of thy countenance And that nothing in the heavenly Regions might be unimployed in sollicitude for him thou sendest forth also those blessed Spirits the Angels to minister to us And again with S. Augustine who having spent some Meditations upon this subject thus piously concludes them When I remember these things O Lord I confess before thee and praise thee for thy great benefits wherewith thou hast honoured us Thou hast given us all things under Heaven and yet countedst that but small provision unless thou hadst also giv'n us the things above even those Angels of thine as Ministring Spirits unto us What is man that thou makest such reckoning of him And with religious Gerhard let us engage ourselves a while in the contemplation how immense the Divine Grace and Favour is towards us in this particular The heav'nly Father saith he sendeth his own Son to deliver us The Son of God incarnate is sent to save us The holy Spirit is sent to sanctifie us The Angels are sent to protect us Much to the same effect as I noted before out of Saint Bernard Thus the whole heav'nly Court doth in a manner serve us and hand down it's benefits to us So that I no longer wonder that all inferiour creatures were made for man when the Angels themselves who are far more worthy deny us not their Ministries Deservedly therefore hath our Church appointed one Festival in the year for a solemn commemoration of the holy Angels from whom we receive so great advantages instructing of us then to recognize the admirable wisdom and goodness of God in ordaining of their services and by Prayer unto him to seek the blessing of their ministration as the excellent Collect for that day Lâ—ssons us O everlasting God who hast ordained and constituted the Services of Angels and Men in a wonderful order mercifully grant that as thy holy Angels always do thee service in Heav'n so by thy appointment they mâ—y succour and defend us on earth through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen But to render both the motives of our thanksgiving unto God and the encouragements we ought to gather to our selves from their attendance and ministry the stronger and more effectual we shall do well to consider in our minds distinctly the many endearing qualifications of these our Guardians and Helpers such as their knowledg and wisdom their power and strength their number and multitude their unanimity and order their care and watchfulness their speed and agility their fidelity and zeal in the discharge of their trust and commission most of which points I have enlarged upon before and therefore shall here again but sleightly touch upon them Their knowledge and wisdom as hath been said is beyond the most improved intellectuals of any upon Earth They have their advantage in the excellency of their faculties and their freedom from such bodies as we dwell in which press and weigh down the mind that museth upon many things Wisd. 9.15 and darken our understandings so that we look on things as through an obscure Perspective And then farther yet in their long-continued observation and experience from the beginning of the Creation and their neerer approaches to and frequenter communications from the Divine Majesty Then for their Power and Might they excel in strength and are resembled not only to an Host or Army but to Horses and Chariots of Fire Both for skill and ability they surpass the evil Spirits who are infatuated in some degree and enfeebled by their wickedness Then for their Number and Multitude that exceedeth our Arithmetick as do the Stars in the Firmament And this vast number of knowing and powerful Beings is yet the more considerable if we add the thoughts of their unanimity and order They are all of a mind and have no contests or disorders among themselves which are often the undoâ—ng of Armies otherwise very formidable They are resolved about their proper Ministries and both know and keep their rank and station hearkning all of them with one consent to the voice of God's Word Add we next their Watchfulness They are not like unto us Mortals subject unto heaviness weariness drowsiness sleepiness and surprize They are full of eyes and rest not day nor night from imployment The darkness is all one to them with the Light And in the Prophesie of Daniel they are call'd Vigiles or Watchers Ch. 4.13 because as Saint Hierom speaks on the place semper vigilant ad Dei imperium sunt parati they always watch and are ready at the Almighty's beck and command They neither slumber nor sleep and so give not the enemy opportunity of advantage nor lose not any themselves for making good their service And then such is their make and nature that no external impediments retard or hinder their motion but for speed and agility they fly as it were with wings very swiftly and pass to and fro like Lightning And then lastly these knowing powerful numberless
we may have the comâ—ort of this reflection among others in cases of the greatest trouble and adversity and the most perplexing difficulties that at any time befal us Now this we shall best effect if we make sure to our selves the character of those persons who have the promise from God of such a blessing that is If we are found in the number of them that truly fear God for The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Ps. 34. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge Prov. 14.26 If we set our chiefest love upon God put ouâ— trust in him know and own his name for of them that do so it is said Ps. 91. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways If we approve our selves sincere and faithful Christians honest and obedient Disciples of our blessed Lord and Saviour for as the Text tells us They are sent forth to Minister for them who shall inherit Salvation Thus in the general But then there are some more particular directions to be given worthy of our most careful observance namely such as these that follow First pray we to God from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift for this among other benefits They are all at his beck sent forth and imployed at his will and pleasure and therefore it is but fitting that we own him in the favour and make our humble requests to him for it The success of Prayer in this matter was observable in the instance I have before recommended out of Bodinus This was part of Iacob's Benediction upon Ioseph's Sons even his Prayer to God for them ' The Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the Lads Gen. 48.15 16. For so I construe it as votum Deo and not invocatio Angeli And Iudas Maccabâ—us we read besought the Lord that he would send 'a good Angel to deliver Israel 2 Macc. 11.6 And again in another distress He said in his Prayer after this manner O Lord thou didst send thine Angel in the time of Hezekias King of Iudea and didst slay in the Host of Sennacherib an hundred fourscore and five thousand Wherefore now also O Lord of Heav'n send a good Angel before us for a fear and a dread unto them and through the might of thine Arm let those be stricken with terror that come against thy holy People to blaspheme Ch. 15.22 c. 'T is part of the Psamists Imprecation against his and the Churches Enemies Let them be as Chaffe before the Wind and let the Angel of the Lord chase or scatter them Let their way be dark and slippery and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them Ps. 35.5 6. And this is part of the Jews Form of Prayer still in their Euchology Command O Lord thine Angels who are placed over humane affairs that they be ready for my aid to help save and deliver me Secondly keep we our selves diligently within the Pale and Communion of the Christian Church the society of those who are the declared Heirs of Salvation The Lord added to the Church dayly such as should be saved Acts 2.47 For to such as hath been shewn they are partiâ—ularly sent as Guardians and Protectors Vbi non est Dâ—i gratia ibi nee locum habet Angelorum custodia The custody of Angels saith Luther hath no place where the Grace of God is not and Gâ—rhard to a like purpose Reconciliandus priùs es Deo per fidem si Angelum vis habere custodâ—m Thou must first be reconciled to God by Faith if thou wouldst have an Angel of his for thy Guardian The Form of Excommunication is call'd remarkably 'A delivering over unto Satan 1 Cor. 5.5 1 Tim. 1.20 The Devil claims a peculiar power over those who are rightfully cast out of the Church of Christ and so barr'd and deprived of the succour and assistance of good Angels This is notoriously apparent saith Doctor H. More in some of the forlorn and giddy-headed Sects of these times among whom I dare say a man may find out a greater number of true Demoniacks than Christ and his Apostles are said to cure For to what more rationally than to the possession of these deceiving Spirits can be attributed those wild extasies they are in c. We must be careful then by holding fast the form of sound words the Faith once deliver'd to the Saints and avoiding of all wicked Schism from and disobedience to the Church of Christ to secure our selves from being exposed to the Tyranny of evil Spirits Thirdly Let us continue honestly and industriously within the compass and bounds of our lawful Vocations respectively Angelis suis mandavit de te ambulante scilicet in tuâ vocatione timente Deum Brentius in Heb. 1.14 'T is an useful Rule delivered from S. Hierom Semper boni aliquid operis facito ut Diabolus te sempèr inveniat occupatum Be always doing some good work or other that the Devil may find thee still employed and not at leisure for his motions We are studiously to avoid those curious and unwarrantable Arts and Practices whereby we may tempt and invite evil Spirits to our company and having betaken our selves to innocent and lawful Callings to keep close unto them The Egyptians as I have before intimated assigned an Angel to every man in his respective Calling whom they stiled the Spirit of his Profession The good Angels to be sure are all for order and have no kindness for those that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disorderly and unruly ones who will not keep their place and rank 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words of M. Antoninus Deserters of the Station and work assigned them and fugitives from their particular charge and duty such as the evil Angels are on the contrary described Who forsook their first Estate and left their proper Habitation S. Iude v. 6. And ever since they are all for confusion and every evil work which follows upon that with those Children of Disobedience who are busie bodies in other mens matters but neglect their own Offices and Duties Undoubtedly whensoever any leave their proper Callings and Ministries they go out of those ways wherein the holy Angels have a special charge over them Fourthly we must with courage and vigilance resist the Devil and all his wicked instruments between whom and the good Angels there is Antipathy and a continual fight and contest 'T is said of our blessed Saviour upon his defeat of the Evil One and vanquishing of his Temptations S. Matth. 4.11 Then the Devil leaveth him and behold Angels came and ministred unto him Whereby is shewn as S. Hilary notes That the Ministeries of Angels and good Offices of the heavenly Powers will not be wanting to us if we overcome the Devil and trample upon him That we may secure their delightful abode with us