Aphorisms of Christian Religion, Chapter 4 – Chapter 6
CHAP. IIII. Of the Angels.
I. APHORISME.
THe Angels are aPſal. 104.4.ſpirituall bHeb. 1.7. & laſt Eph. 6.12. Heb. 1.7. Coloſſ. 1.16.creatures, which cHeb. 1. v. laſt 1. K. 22.20. &cminiſter vntounto God the creator.
II.
Of the Angels, ſome are good, ſome are euill.
III.
The good Angels are they which hauehave ſtoode and continued in their perfection, wherein they were created, and hauehave receiued their aMath. 18.10. & 22.30.confirmatiō: & therfore are euer ready bPſal. 103.20.21.to glorifie God in all obedience: for which cauſe they did appeare in certaine winged pictures (which are called cExod. 25.18. &c. 1. king 6.23. and 29.Cherubins and dEſ. 6.2.Seraphins) formed like men to the people eExo. 25.18of Iſraell, and to the Prophets fEſ. 6.Eſay & gEzech. 1.Ezechiell, to ſignifie their chearefulneſſe and readineſſe for the execution of Gods decrees.
IIII.
The Lord vſeth their miniſterie & ſeruice, both to make relation of his will vntounto aNum. 22.32.33.men, ſpecially the bGen. 19.13 Iudg. 13.3.4.5. Dan. 8.16.9.21. Luke. 1.13, & 26. c. 2.10. Math. 1.20. c. 2.13. & 19.20. c. 28.5. Act. 1.10. Reuel. 1.1.godly, (and hence it is they hauehave their name): & to gouerne cCol. 1.16. Ephe. 1.22.the world, in aſmuch as they dPſal. 34.8.91.11. Gene. 14.19. & 16. c. 32.1. 1. King. 19.5.2. King. 6.17. &c. 19.35. Dan, 3.25. & 6.23.protect the faithfull againſt all daungerous euents, the ſnares alſo and aſſaults of their enemies, (which are euill men and Angels,) puniſhing eGen. 19 2. King. 19.35. Act. 12.23.the wicked, and f2. Sam. 25.15.16.chaſtening …e godly: and for this cauſe are they cal…d gEphe. 1.21. Col. 1.16.thrones, dominions, principalities, …owers and might.
V.
The good Angels are exceeding many, but the number is not expreſſed in Scripture.
VI.
When the good Angels were to deli…r any meſſage from God vntounto mē, they …peared in the likeneſſe of aGen. 18.2. and 4. c. 19. 2. Heb. 13.2. Iudg. 13.6. &c. Mar. 16.5 Luke. 24.4. Act. 1.10.young men, …y beautifull in ſight, and ſometimes …ning with ſome excellent brightneſſe. …omtimes they hauehave appeared in firie bo…es, either like men, as in the viſion of Eſay in the Temple:bEſay. 6. Ezech. 1. or like horſes and harrets, as in the tranſlation or tranſpor…tion c2. King 2.2.of Elias, and in the protection of Elizeus d2. King 6.againſt the Syrians. They …ue alſo appeared ſomtimes when men …aue ſeene them with their eyes eGen. 18. & 19. Luk. 1.11. and 28.waking: …nd ſometimes to men in their fMath. 1.20ſleepe: and ſometimes alſo when men watched, …ut yet ouertaken with ſome great gReu. 1.10.aſtoniſhment of minde. The firſt kind of theſe apparitions is called in Scripture foreign, hLuke. 1.22 & 24.23. Act. 26.19.a viſion: the 2. and 3. foreign, a iAct. 10.17 19. & 11.5. &. c. 16 9.ſight. But yet other whiles the kMath. 17.9 Act. 10.3.one is taken for the other.
VII.
And albeit the good Angels be verie excellent both for maieſtie and aMath. 28.3. Act. 1.10. Dan. 10.5. & 6.glory, yet it is great wickedneſſe to bReu. 19.10. &. c. 22.8. & 9 Col. 2.18. Iud. 13.16.worſhip them, becauſe they are creatures, and our felow-ſeruants.
VIII.
The vſe of this doctrine is; that in dangers we aske of God the protection of the holy Angels: and that we be aſſured, that they ſhalbe ready at hād for our good according to Gods aPſal. 34 8. & 91.11.12.promiſe.
IX.
So farre of the good Angels. The euill Angels are they which by their contumacie and diſobedience againſt God, hauehave aIohn. 8.44. Iude. 6. 1. Pet. 2.4.fallen from that bleſſed ſtate or perfectiō wherein they were created: and ſo become euill: euer ſince maliciouſly inclined to hurt both the glory of God and the ſaluation of men.
X.
They be called in Scripture, euill a1. Sam. 16.15. &c.ſpirites, bLeuit. 17.7foreign, horrible, or terrible, becauſe when they appeared, their very ſight did ſtrike ſome terror in them which ſaw thē. And cDeut. 32.17.foreign, deſtroyers, becauſe they intend nothing more then the deſtruction of mē. And theſe names are found in the old Teſtament. And in the new,dMath. 9.34 &c. 1. Cor. 10.20. 1. Tim. 4.1. Iames. 2 19. Reuel. 9 20. they are called foreign, becauſe of their knowledge to diſcouer things ſecret: and vncleane eMath. 10.1ſpirits, …ecauſe they prouoke men vntounto all kinde of filthineſſe and vncleaneſſe, being mixt with ſuch vnclean mē to commit abhomi…ations. They are alſo called fEphe. 6.12.principali…ities, powers, princes of the world, the gouernors of the darkneſſe of this world, …pirituall wickedneſſes, or euill ſpirites, becauſe they worke mightely in the reprobate.
XI.
The euill Angels alſo are verie aLuke. 8.30.many, but the Scripture ſpeaketh not of any certaine number.
XII.
Their prince is called in Hebrue aIob. 1.6. &c. 2. Zach. 3.1 Luk. 10.1…. & often in the N. Teſtamēt.Sathan, that is, an aduerſarie, becauſe he is the very enemie of God & his children: & bMat. 12.24.Beelzebub, or c2 King 1.2Bahal-zebub, that is, the maſter or prince of flies, either becauſe in Ekron in times paſt, that idoll droue away flies, or had the forme of a flie. In Greeke his name is dMat. 25 4.1 Iohn 8.44. 1. Iohn 3.8.foreign, a deuill, that is, a ſlanderer, becauſe he falſly accuſeth and chargeth God & his children for their wordes and for their workes:eIob. 1.9. and fMath. 6 13 Ephe. 6.19. 1. Iohn 3.12.foreign; that is a wicked one, for that he euer goeth about mali…iouſly to diſturbe the faithfull: and gMath. 4.3. 1. Theſſ 3.5.foreign the Tempter, becauſe he tempteth Gods people, indeuouring to bring them to ſinne and ſo to deſtruction. He is alſo called thehIoh. 12 31. &c. 14.30. & 16.11. prince of the world, & that great iReu. 12.9.2Dragon, and the old Serpent. The reſt are called his kMat 25 41 …. Cor. 1.7.Angels.
XIII.
And albeit Sathan and his Angels bād themſelues againſt God and his children, & that the deuill oppoſe himſelfe as much as he can in will & deſire: yet can he not effect any thing, to hurt the faithfull, or againſt the will of God. For the Lordes power curbeth him, and keepeth him ſo ſafe bounde that he executeth onelyonly ſuch things as are a1. Kin. 22.20 &c. Iob. 1.6. and 2.1. Math. 8.31. and 32.giuen him of God in cōmiſſion. Neither doth the Lord permit Sathan or his Angels to deſtroy bMat. 24.24 Luke. 22.31.32. Io. 10.28.29.33. Ro. 8.35. &c.his elect, but onelyonly to exerciſe cMath. 4.1. &c. Ephe. 6.12. &c.them with temptations.
XIIII.
The vſe of this doctrine of wicked ſpirites is, that we may be more watchfull, to auoide their ſnares and practiſes: and that we may prouide our ſelues of ſuch armour as may be ſtrong & of good proofe, to beare ſo many and ſo ſtrong enemies: and principally that knowing our owne ignoraunce and weakeneſſe, we may cry vntounto God for ſtrength, and for protection againſt all their illuſions & aſſaultes: & as for weapons to fight with the deuill, they are without vsus, as Gods promiſes & preceptes, or within vsus, as faith and prayer, & obedience to Gods word.
CHAP. V. Of the first integritie of our nature, wherein is entreated of the Image of God, and of free will.
I. APHORISME.
FOraſmuch as after the Angels among Gods creatures, man hath the next place: it is requiſite that we learne alſo in what maner he was created of God in the beginning, that ſo we may vnderſtād how this our deformitie came not from God in the creatiō, but from ſome other cauſe.
II.
Man therefore was created in the beginning after the Image aGene. 1.27of God; ſo that he was like the Lord his maker, in that he repreſented his maieſtie in certaine excellent graces.
III.
Theſe gifts did appeare partly in ſoule, partly in body. Firſt the ſoule was indued with ſingular aCol. 3.10. Gen. 1.23.wiſedome in the minde or vnderſtanding, whereby he rightly knew both God his creatour, and the workes or creatures of God: next in the will & affection there was a conformitie with the will of God, and this the Apoſtle cals true righteouſneſſe bEphe. 4.24and holineſſe. In the body, there did appeare in mans countenance firſt a Princely maieſtie, ſo as the verie … beaſtes tooke him for their very Lord or ſoueraigne.cGene. 1.28 Some little ſparcle of this appeares as yet, for that brute beaſts we ſee will be tamed and made tractable to ſerue man, or at leaſt wiſe not to hurt him.
IIII.
Mans will in that firſt integritie of nature was free, aGen. 3.18.ſo as he could thereby chooſe either good or euill, and therefore could obey or diſobey God.
CHAP. VI. Of Gods prouidence.
I. APHORISME.
THe prouidence of God, is the eternal, moſt wiſe, moſt iuſt, and immutable aAct. 2.23. Act. 4.27.28.counſell or decree of God, gouerning or diſpoſing bMat. 10.29 30. Luk. 12.6.7. Exod. 21.1. Deut. 19.4.5. Prou. 16. laſt v. Heb. 1.3.eueryevery thing that he hath made to his owne cProu. 16.4. Ro. 9.22.23.glorie, and the ſaluation dRom. 8.28 1. Cor. 11.32of his elect.
II.
It foloweth therefore that fortune is no cauſe at all to effect any thing.
III.
And albeit God alſo by his prouidence aGen. 37.28 and 45.5 7.8. Ex. 7.6 &c. 8.15. 2. Sam. 12 12.16. &c. 10.11. 1. K. 22.19 2. Chro. 18.18 Iob. 1.21. Eſ. 10.5. Ac. 2.23. &c. 4.27.28.diſpoſeth of the ſinnes of men: yet is he no cauſe or any authour of ſinne, becauſe he is not delighted with ſinne, but rather bPſa. 5.5 6.7abhorreth it: neither doth he ſinne, nor can he ſinne. Againe for that he neither commendeth nor perſwadeth any vntounto ſinne: neither doth he inſpire euill into ſinners, nor conſtraine them to ſinne: but cGen. 50.20 Prou. 16.4. Exod. 9 16. Rom 9.17. Rom. 8.28.directeth all things to a good end.
IIII.
Men may not therefore excuſe their ſinnes by Gods prouidence: for as for the wicked, their conſciences can aMath. 27.4 Gen. 45 3. Gene 42.21.conuince them of their own naughtines, & they ſin not vnwillingly, but rather take pleaſure b2. Sa 16.22in ſin, and are often caried with full ſayle c2 Sa 16.13.thereunto: and hauehave euer an euill dGe 50.2…. Eſ. 10.7.intention; But the godly fall into ſinne being ſeduced by an euill eIam. 1.13.14.1….concupiſcence: and when they hauehave ſinned, they acknowledge their offence with fPſal. 51. Mar. 14. v. laſt.deteſtation.
V.
The vſe or benefite of this doctrine is three fold. Firſt that we may learne aGen. 45.4. &c. &. c. 50.19.20.21. 2. Sam. 16.17. Iob. 1.21.patience in aduerſitie: for that hereby we know that bAmos. 3.6. Eſ. 45.7. 1. Cor. 11.32.God ſendeth not aduerſitie to deſtroy vsus, but for our cGen 50.20 Rom. 8.28. 1. Cor. 11.32good. The ſecond, that in proſperitie we may be dGen. 24.27thankefull vntounto God: for that we ſee, it is God, who moueth mens mindes & actions to wiſh and to do eGen. 32.6. & 33 4 and 39 4.21. &c.vsus good: or at leaſt wiſe, albeit they doe wiſhe vsus euill, yet they can not fExod. 3.21 12.35. Gen. 31.24. Nu. 22. & 23.hurt vsus, but rather doe vsus good. Againe we ſee it is he which giueth a bleſſing alſo to things which hauehave gLuk. 12.…5 Leuit. 26.26. Eſ. 3. 1. Hag 1 6. 1 Kin. 19.8.no life euen for our good. The third benefite is, that we may be h1. Sa. 17.35 2. Tim. 4.18.aſſured, that God will euer be a father vntounto vsus, both to protect vsus from euill & to confer vponupon vsus all good things.
VI.
We muſt alſo ſo reſt vponupon Gods prouidence, as that we doe not neglect the meanes, (if we can hauehave them) but vſe them with reuerence, and in the feare of God, as inſtrumentes ſeruing Gods prouidence: not that we ſhould truſt in them, but leaſt we aMath. 4.7. Act. 27.24.30.31. Gene. 32.tempt the Lord.