Light from Heaven, Title page 2 – Part 20
ANGELS Acclamations: OR, THE NATIVITY of CHRIST, celebrated by the heavenly Host.
BY The late learned, and reverend Divine RICHARD SIBS, Doctor in Divinity, Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at Grayes-Inne.
ISAI 9.6.
To us a Child is borne, to us a Sonne is given.
1 PET. 1.12.
Which things the Angels desire to looke into.
LONDON, Printed by E. P. for N. Bourne, at the Royall Exchange, and Rapha Harford, at the gilt Bible, in Queenes head Alley, in Pater-noster Row. 1638.
ANGELS ACCLAMATIONS.
LUKE 2.13, 14.
And suddenly there was with the Angell, a multitude of the heavenly Host praising GOD and saying,
Glory to GOD in the highest, and on earth peace, Good will towards men.
THE Words are few, and pregnant, very precious, having much excellency in a little quantity. The Heavens never opened but to great purpose; when God opens his mouth, it is for some speciall end, and when the Angels appeared, it was upon some extraordinary occasion; This was the most glorious Apparition that ever was,Matth. 3.…6. setting aside that that was at Christs Baptisme, when the Heavens opened, and the Father spake, and the Holy-Ghost appeared in the likenesse of a Dove, upon the head of Christ: The Apparition glorious.when all the Trinity appeared; but there was never such an apparition of Angels, as at this time, and there was great cause, for there was never such a ground for it,1In regard of the matter. whether we regard the matter it selfe, the incarnation of Christ, there was never such a thing from the beginning of the World, nor never shall be in this World, for God to take mans nature on him, for Heaven and Earth to joyne together, for the Creator to become a creature.
2Of the benefit.Or whether we regard the benefit that comes to us thereby; Christ by this meanes brings God and man together since the fall; Christ is the accomplishment of all the Prophesies, of all the promises, they were made in him, and for him, therefore he was the expectation of the Gentiles. Before he was borne, he was revealed by degrees.Gen. 3.15. First, generally, The seed of the woman, &c. Then more particularly, to Abraham and his seed, and then to one Tribe, Iudah, that hee should come of him; then to one family, the house of David; and then more particularly, a Virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne, and the place, Bethlehem, till at the last Iohn Baptist pointed him out with the finger, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sinnes of the world. Even as after midnight, the Sun growes up by little and little, till his beames st…ke forth in the morning, and after it appeares in glory, so it was with the Sunne of Righteousnesse, as he came nearer, so hee discovers himselfe more gloriously by degrees, till hee was borne indeed, and then you see here a multitude of Angels celebrate his Nativity.
Now as before his birth,Christ revealed to all sorts. hee was revealed by degrees, so after his incarnation, hee was revealed to all sorts, to the old in Simeon, to women in Anna, a Prophetesse, to wise men, and to silly shepheards to all rancks of men; and to whomsoever the incarnation of Christ was revealed, when he was borne, they all entertained it with joy. The Angels they sang and praised God; Simeon was even content then to dye, and Zachary you see before hand breakes forth, Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel, &c. and the shepherds went away rejoycing. There is a speciall passage of divine providence in the carriage of this manifestation, for Christ was reveiled to the wise men that were Gentiles, by a Starre, because they were given to starre-gazing, he was discovered to the shepherds by the apparition of Angels: The Scribes that were conversant in Scripture, they found it out by searching the Scriptures. God applies himselfe to every mans condition.
And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude, &c.
You see here,Beames of Christs Divinity in his abasement. how ever Christ lay in the Cratch, in the Manger; yet notwithstanding there were some circumstances that shewed the greatnesse of his person, that he was no ordinary person; he lay in the Cratch indeed, but the wise men came and adored him, and he appeared to the shepherds, poore men, yet notwithstanding, heere is an Host of Angels that praise him; so likewise at his death, he converted the good Thiefe, and shadowed the Sun it selfe, and then he gloriously rose againe; so that there were some beames of his divine nature that brake forth in all his abasements, we see here an apparition of Angels. In the words consider these things.
Division of the words.Here is first of all, an apparition of heavenly Angels.
And then their celebration of Christs birth.
The apparition; and suddenly there was with the Angel, a multitude of the heavenly Host.
The celebration of it, praising God and saying;
The matter of the celebration, and praising God.
Glory to God in the highest;
In earth peace,
Good will towards men.
I shall especially stand upon those words, but somewhat is to be touched concerning the apparition of these Angels.
1The apparition.The circumstances of their apparition; they appeare to poore Shepherds.