Light from Heaven, Part 22 – Part 23
And suddenly there was, &c.
Suddenly,Angels apparition sudden. in an unperceivable time, yet in time, for there is no motion in a moment, no creature moves from place to place in a moment, God is every where: Suddenly, it not only shewes us somwhat exemplary from the quick dispatch of Angels in their businesse,1For our Example. we pray to God in the Lords prayer, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, that is, willingly, suddenly, cheerefully.
2For our comfort.But also it serves for comfort, if we be in any sudden danger, God can dispatch an Angell, a multitude of Angels to encampe about us suddenly, therefore though the danger be present, &c the Devill present, and devilish minded men present to hurt us, God hath a multitude, an Host of Angels as present to defend us; nay as himselfe is every where, so in the middest of his Church, he is present more then Angels can be, he is not onelyonly among us, but he is in us by his Spirit, to comfort and strengthen us, therefore let us stirre up the Spirit of God in us, in all difficulties, and dangers whatsoever, considering we have such grounds of comfort every way.
The end of this apparition, in respect of men.What is the use, and end of this glorious apparition, in regard of the poore shepherds, to confirme their faith, and in them ours, for if one or two witnesses confirme a thing, what shall a multitude doe? If one or two men confirme a truth, much more an Host of heavenly Angels. Therefore it is base infidelity to call this in question, that is confirmed by a multitude of Angels: and to comfort them likewise in this Apparition; we see by the way, that for one Christian to confirme,Mutuall comfort from Christians, a worke Angelicall. an Angelicall worke, for one man to discourage another, it is the worke of a Devill: when Christ was in his agony, the Angels appeared to comfort him, wee may take notice how willing, and ready these glorious Spirits were to attend upon our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ, in all the passages from his Incarnation to his glory we see they appeared here at his Incarnation, they ministred unto him after his temptation, at his Resurrection, then they were ready to attend him, and at his Ascension, they were ready then, but oh the welcome, when he entred into Heaven! There was the glorious imbracings, when all the Host of heaven entertained him at his Ascension: In the garden (as I said) they comforted him, let us imitate them in this blessed worke, if there be any in distresse that need comfort, and confirmation, we love examples of great noted persons, here you have an example above your selves, the example of Angels, who to confirme and comfort the poore Shepherds, appeare in an host, … multitude of heavenly Angels. Angels attend upon the Church.The Angels, as they attend upon Christ, so for his sake, they attend upon us too, for he is that Iacobs Ladder, Iacobs Ladder you know stood upon the earth, but it reached to Heaven, and the Angels went up and down upon the Ladder, that is, it is Christ that knits heaven and earth together, God and man, and the Angels by Christ, have communion and fellowship with us, as I noted out of the place, Heb. 12.22.Heb. 12. 22. Wee are come to an innumerable company of Angels, so that they attend upon us for Christs sake, whose members we are, they attend upon Christ mysticall, as well as Christ naturall: For they are ministring Spirits for the sakes of them that shall be saved, Heb. 1.Heb. 1. And therefore in our childhood, and tender yeeres, they have the custody of us committed to them, as Christ saith, Their Angels behold the face of God, and in our dangers, they pitch their Tents about us, and at our death, they carry our soules to the place of happinesse, as they carryed Lazarus soule into Abrahams bosome, and at the resurrection, they shall gather our dead bodies together, so that as they never left our blessed Saviour from his birth to his Ascension, so they alwayes attend upon his members, his Spouse, for his sake we have communion with the blessed Angels. These things may be of some use, but it is not that I mainly intend: thus much for the Apparition.
2The celebration. Ioy how to be imployed.Now the celebration is, a Multitude of the heavenly Host, praising God.
The word signifies singing, as well as praise, it implies praise expressed in that manner, and indeed praising God, it is the best expression of the affection of joy. The Angels were joyfull at the birth of Christ their Lord. Joy is no way better expressed, then in praising God, and it is pitty, that such a sweet affection as Joy, should runne in any other streame, if it were possible, than the praising of God. God hath planted this affect on of joy in the creature, and it is fit hee should reape the fruit of his owne garden, it is pitty a cleare streame should run into a puddle, it should rather runne into a garden, and so sweet and excellent affection as Joy, it is pitty it should be imployed otherwise, then in praising God, and doing good to men.
They expresse their joy in a sutable expression in praising God; the sweetest affection in man, should have the sweetest imployment, the sweetest imployment that joy can have, is to be inlarged in love, to praise God, and for Gods sake to doe good to others.
See here the pure nature of Angels,The pure nature of Angels without envie. they praise God for us, we have more good by the Incarnation of Christ, then they have, yet notwithstanding such is their humility, that they come downe with great delight from heaven, and praise, and glorifie God, for the birth of Christ; who is not theirs, but our Redeemer. Some strength they have, there is no creature but hath some good by the Incarnation of Christ, to the Angels themselves, yet however they have some strength from Christ, in the increase of the number of the Church, yet he is not the Redeemer of Angels, in some sort he is the head of Angels, but he is our Redeemer;Esay 9.6. To us a child is borne, to us a Sonne is given. And yet see, their nature is so pure, and so cleare from envie, and pride, that they even glorifie God, for the goodnesse shewed to us, meaner creatures then themselves, and they envie not us, though we be advanced by the Incarnation of Christ, to a higher place then they: For (beloved) the very Angels have not such affinity to Christ in this, as wee, they are not the Spouse of Christ, they make not up mysticall Christ, the Church doth, the Church is the Queene, as Christ is the King of all, it is married to Christ, Angels are not, and yet although they see us advanced in diverse respects above them, yet they are so pure, and free from envie, that they joyne in praising God, here in love to us.
To imitate Angels herein.Let us labour therefore for dispositions Angelicall, that is, such as may delight in the good of others, and in the good of other meaner then our selves.
Specially to praise God for our own good.And learne this also from them, shall they glorifie God for our good especially, and shall we be dull, and cold in praising God, on our owne behalfe? Shall they come suddenly from heaven, and cheerefully and willingly, and to praise God for his goodnesse to us, and shall we be frozen and cold in this duty, that is for our good more especially? I hasten to that that followes.
What is the matter of their celebration, and gratulation?
Glory to God in the highest;
In earth peace,
Good will towards men.
There is some difference in the readings, some copies have it, On earth peace, to men of good will, to men of Gods good will, and so they would have it two branches, not three; if the word be rightly understood, it is no great matter.
1The chiefe end.First, the Angels begin with the maine, and chiefe end of all; it is Gods end, it was the Angels end, and it should be ours too, Glory to God on high.
Then they wish the chiefe good of all,2The chiefe good. that whereby we are fitted for the maine end, Peace. God cannot be glorified on earth, unlesse there be peace wrought: for man else conceives God as an enemy; by this Peace we are fitted to glorifie God, if wee find reconciliation with God through Iesus Christ, then the sence of Gods love, in the worke of reconciliation, will enflame our hearts to glorifie God, therefore next to the glory of God, they wish Peace on earth.
Then thirdly,3The chiefe ground. here is the ground of all happinesse, from whence this peace comes, from Gods good will, from his good pleasure, or free Grace, To men of Gods goodwill. So if we goe back againe, The good will and pleasure of God, is the cause and ground of peace in Christ, and peace in Christ puts us into a condition, and stirs us up to glorifie God, so we see there is an order in these three.
To begin with the first.
Glory to God in the highest.
The Angels, those blessed and holy Spirits, they begin with that which is the end of all, It is Gods end, in all things his owne glory, he hath none above himselfe, whose glory to ayme at. And they wish, Glory to God in the highest Heavens.
Indeed he is more glorified there,Why they wish glory to God in heaven. then any where in the world; it is the place where his Majestie most appeares, and the truth is, we cannot perfectly glorifie God, till we be in heaven, there is pure glory given to God in Heaven, there is no corruption there in those perfect soules, there is perfect glory given to God in heaven. H…re upon earth, God is not glorified at all by many. The whole life of many, being nothing but a dishonouring of God, by abusing his ordinances, trampling upon his Church and children, by slighting his word, and Sacraments, there is little honour given to God in the world, but only by a few whom he intends to glorifie for ever, and indeed if we will glorifie God here, we must raise our thoughts to heaven at that time, raise them above the world, to heaven, where we shall for ever glorifie him, where we shall joyne with the blessed Saints and Angels, and sing, holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts, &c. In the meane time, (let me adde this by the way) that in some sort we may glorifie God more on earth,How we may glorifie God on earth more then in heaven. then in heaven. It may seeme a Paradox, but it is true, that is thus, here upon earth we glorifie God in the middest of enemies, he hath no enemies in heaven, they are all of one spirit; here upon earth, we live not onelyonly among Devils, but among men led with the spirit of the Devill, where God is dishonoured; and if here we take Gods side, and the truth, and Gospels side, and stand for Gods cause, (in some sort) we honour God more here then we are capable to doe it in heaven, where there is no opposition. In this respect, let us be encouraged to glorifie God, what we can here; for if we begin to glorifie God here, it is a signe we are … number that he intends to glorifie with him forever.
The verbe is not set downe here whether it should be, Glory is given to God, or whether by way of wishing, Let glory be given to God, or by way of prediction, or prophesie for the time to come, glory shall be to God, from hence to the end of the world, the verbe being wanting, all have a truth. For first, it cannot be a wish, unlesse it were a positive doctrinall truth, that all glory is due to God in the Incarnation of Christ, and because all glory is due to him, thereupon comes the ground of wishing, and of prayer, Let God be glorified, why? because it is due, if it were not a positive doctrinall truth, there could be no foundation to raise a wish, or a prayer, for what is a prayer, but the turning of a promise or truth, into a prayer? and what is praise, but the turning of a truth into praise? so it is a doctrinall truth, First, that God is to be glorified especially in Christ, and in Christ, in this particular, in the Incarnation of Christ. And it is a wish for the time to come, let him be glorified, and a prediction, God shall be glorified in the Church, hee shall alway have some to glorifie him for Christ, and especially for his Incarnation.