Eighty Sermons, Easter · Sermon 24
SERMON XXIV. Preached upon Eaſter-day. 1629.
JOB 4.18.
Rehold, he put no truſt in his Servants, And his Angels he charged with folly.
WE celebrate this day, the Reſurrection of our Lord and Saviour Chriſt Jeſus, Bleſſed for ever; and in His, all ours; All, that is, the Reſurrection of all Perſons; All, that is, the Reſurrection of all kinds, whether the Reſurrection from calamities in this world, Ezechiels Reſurrection, where God ſaies to him, Putaſne vivent? Son of man doeſt thou thinke,Ezek. 8.6. theſe ſcattered Bones can live againe? or the Reſurrection from ſin, S. Iohns Reſurrection,Apo. 20.5. 1 Cor. 15. Bleſſed is he that hath his part in the firſt Reſurrection: Or of the Reſurrection to Glory, S. Pauls Reſurrection, that is, more argued, and more particularly eſtabliſhed, by that Apoſtle, then by the reſt. This Reſurrection to glory, is the conſummation of all the others; therefore we looke eſpecially at this; and in this, our qualification in this ſtate of glory, is thus expreſſed by our Saviour Chriſt himſelfe, Erimus ſicut Angeli, In the Reſurrection,Luke 20.36. we ſhall be as the Angels. And that we might not flatter our ſelves in a dreame of a better eſtate, then the Angels have, in this text we have an intimation, what their ſtate and condition is, Behold, he put no truſt in his Servants, and his Angels he charged with folly.
In our handling of theſe words, theſe ſhall be our two parts; De quibus, and De quo; Diviſio.Of whom theſe words are ſpoken, and then of what; Firſt, what is poſitively ſaid, and then, what is conſequently inferred; what propoſed, and what concluded; what of the Angels, and then, what of us, who ſhall be like the Angels. In the firſt, the Perſons of whom theſe words are ſpoken, becauſe, though our Interpreters vary in opinions, yet even from their various opinions, there ariſe good inſtructions, we ſhall rather Problematically inquire, then Dogmatically eſtabliſh, firſt, whether theſe words were ſpoken of Angels, or no; whether this word Angell, in this text, be not (as it is in many other places of Scriptures, and in the nature of the Word it ſelfe) communicable to other ſervants, and other meſſengers then thoſe, whom ordinarily we intend, when we ſay Angels; and then ſecondly, if the words be ſpoken of Angels, then, whether of Good or Bad Angels, of thoſe which ſtand now, or thoſe which fell at firſt; and againe, if of thoſe that ſtand, then what degree of perfection they have, and what that which we uſe to call their Confirmation, is, how it accrues to them, and how it works in them, if even of them it be ſaid, Behold, he put no truſt in his Servants, and his Angels he charged with folly. In our ſecond part, what was inferd upon theſe premiſſes, what was concluded out of theſe propoſitions, what reflected upon us, by this aſſimilation of ours to the Angels, becauſe it is a matter of much weight, we ſhall firſt, in our entrance into that part, conſider the weight of the teſtimony, in the Perſon that gives it; for it is not Iob himſelfe that ſpeaks theſe words; It is but one of his friends; but Elephaz, but the Temanite, a Gentile, a ſtranger from the Covenant and the Church of God, and yet his words are part of the Word of God. And then for the matter that is inferd, from our aſſimilation to the ſtate of Angels, will be fairely collected, that if thoſe Angels ſtand, but by the ſupport of Grace, & not by any thing inſeparably inhering in their nature, when we are at our beſt, in heaven, we ſhall do but ſo neither; much leſſe whilſt we are upon earth, have we in us any impoſſibility of falling, by any thing already done for us; Our ſtanding is meerely from the grace of God, and therefore let no man aſcribe any thing to himſelfe; and Let him that ſtandeth take heed leſt he fall; for, God hath done no more for the beſt of us, here nor hereafter, then for thoſe Angels, and of them we heare here, He put no truſt in his Servants, and his Angels he charged with folly.
Firſt then,1 Part. An Angeli. for our firſt Diſquiſition, in our firſt part, De quibus, the perſons of whom theſe words are ſpoken. Amongſt all our Expoſitors of this book of Iob, (which are very many) and amongſt all Authors, Ancient and Moderne, which have had occaſion in their Sermons and Tractates to reflect upon this text, (which are many more, infinite) I have never obſerved more then one, that denies theſe words to be ſpoken of Angels, or that there is any mention, any intention, any intimation of Angels, in theſe words. And, (which is the greater wonder) this one ſingle man, who thus departs from all, and prefers himſelfe above all, is no Jeſuit neither; It is but a Capuccin, but Bolduc upon this Book of Iob, and yet he adventures to ſay, That that Perſon of whom it is ſaid in this text, He put no truſt in his Servants, and He charged his Angels with folly, is not God; and that they of whom it is ſaid, He truſted not his Servants, and his Angels he charged with folly, are not Angels; But that all that Eliphaz intended in all this paſſage of Iob, was no more but this, That no great Perſon muſt truſt in any kind of Greatneſſe, particularly not in great retinues, and dependances, of many ſervants, and powerfull inſtruments, for that was Iobs owne caſe, and yet he loſt them all. The doctrine truly is good; neither ſhould I ſodainly condemne his ſingularity, if it were well grounded. For, though in the expoſition of Scriptures, ſingularity alwaies carry a ſuſpition with it, ſingularity is Indicium, (as we ſay in the Law) ſome kind of evidence, It is Semi-probatio, a kind of halfe-proofe againſt that man, that holds an opinion, or induces an interpretation different from all other men; yet as theſe which we call Indicia, in the Law, worke but ſo, as that they may bring a man to his oath, or, in ſome caſes, to the rack, and to torture, but are not, alone ſufficient to condemne him; So if we finde this ſingularity in any man, we take from thence juſt occaſion to queſtion and ſift him, and his Doctrine, the more narrowly, but not only upon that, preſently to condemne him. For this was S. Auguſtines caſe; S. Auguſtine induced new Doctrines, in divers very important points, different from all that had written before him; but, upon due examination, for all his ſingularity, the Church hath found reaſon to adhere to him, in thoſe points, ever ſince his reaſons prevailed. In our ſingle Capuccins caſe here in our text, it is not ſo.
And therefore here we muſt continue that complaint, which we are often put to make, of the iniquity of the Roman Church to us; If the Fathers ſeeme to agree in any point, wherein we differ from them, they cry out, we depart from the Fathers; If we adhere to the Fathers, in any point, in which they differ from them, then they cry out, we forſake the Church; Still they preſſe us with their Trent-Canon, You muſt interpret Scriptures according to the unanime conſent of the Fathers, and yet they ſuffer a ſingle Capuccin of their owne, to depart from the Fathers, and Sons, from the Ancient and Moderne Expoſitors in their owne Church, And, I may adde, from the Holy Ghoſt too, from the evident purpoſe and meaning of the place, in more places, then any Author, whom I have ſeene, and in this, more then in any other place, when he ſaies, with ſuch aſſurance, that in theſe words, He put no truſt in his Servants, and his Angels he charged with folly, there is no mennon, no intention of God, or Angels, but it is onelyonly ſpoken of men, of the infidelity of ſervants, and of the inſecurity of Maſters relying upon ſuch dependancies.
We take this then,Ande Angelis Bo…. as All do, All, (for this ſingle Capuccin makes no conſiderable exception, more then a mole-hill to the roundneſſe of the earth) to be ſpoken of Angels, which was our firſt probleme and diſquiſition; And our ſecond is, being ſpoken of Angels, of what Angels they are ſpoken, Good or Bad, of thoſe that fell, or thoſe that ſtood. Here we meet with the ſame rub as before, ſingularity. For, amongſt all our Expoſitors upon this book, I have not obſerved any other then Calvin, to interpret this place, of the good Angels, of thoſe that ſtand confirmed in grace. Not that Calvin is to be left alone, in that opinion, as though he were the onelyonly man, that thought that the good Angels, conſidered in themſelves, might be defective in the offices committed unto them by God; for, it is evident that Origen in divers of his Homilies upon the book of Numbers, in his twentieth, and twentie two, and foure, and twentie ſixt, and in his thirteenth Homily upon S. Luke, And as evident that S. Hierom himſelfe upon the firſt verſe of the ſixt Chapter of Micheas, thought and taught, That thoſe good Angels whom God appoints for the tuition of certaine men, and certaine places, in this world, ſhall give an account at the day of Judgement, of the execution of their office, whether the men committed to them, have not fallen ſometimes by their fault, and their dereliction; for ſo does he (and not he only) underſtand that place, That we ſhall judge the Angels; 1 Cor. 6.3.As alſo thoſe words in the beginning of the Revelation, which S. Iohn is commanded by Chriſt, to write to the Angels of certaine Churches, that Father, S. Hierom interprets not only of figurative, and Metaphoricall Angels, the Biſhops of thoſe Churches, but literally of the Angels of Heaven.
So then Calvin is from any ſingularity in that, That the good Angels conſidered in themſelves, may be defective; but becauſe he may be ſingular in interpreting this Text, of good Angels, (as for ought I have obſerved he is) this ſingularity of his, may be a juſt reaſon of ſuſpending our aſſent, but not a juſt reaſon preſently to condemne his expoſition. The Church muſt beas juſt to him, as it was to S. Auguſtine, that is, to examine his grounds. And truly, his ground is faire; his ground is firme. It is this, that though this ſeeme to derogato from the honour of Angels, that being confirmed, they ſhould be ſubject to weakneſſe, yet, ſaies he, we muſt not pervert, nor force any place of Scripture, for the honour of the Angels. For indeed, the perverting, and forcing of Scriptures, for the over-honouring of Saints, hath induced a chain of Hereſies in the Romane Church. And that this is a forcing of Scripture, to underſtand this Text of fallen Angels, Calvin argues rationally, That thoſe Angels which are ſpoken of here, are called the ſervants of God; And devils are but his ſlaves, not his ſervants; They execute his will, but againſt their will; Good Angels are the ſervants of God; Nor ſhall we eaſily finde that Title, The ſervant of God, applyed to ill perſons in the Scriptures. Therefore, (as he notes uſefully) God doth not charge Angels in this Text, with rebellion, or obſtination, or any haynous crime, but only with folly, weakneſſe, infirmity, from which, in all degrees, none but God himſelf can be free. Though therefore there be no ſuch neceſſity of accepting this expoſition, as ſhould produce that confident aſſeveration which he comes to, Dubium non eſt, It can admit no doubt, but this place muſt be thus underſtood, (for, by his favour, it may admit a doubt) yet neither is there any ſuch newneſſe in it, (becauſe it is grounded upon Truth, and all Truth is ancient) but that it may very well be received; And therefore, as the ſenſe that is moſt fit to advance his purpoſe that ſpeakes it, (which is one principall thing to be conſidered in every place) as the ſenſe that moſt conduces to Eliphaz his end, and to prove that which he intends to Iob, without laying obligation upon any to think ſo, or imputation upon any that doth not think ſo, we accept this interpretation of theſe words; that they are ſpoken of Angels, (which was our firſt) and of good Angels, (which was our ſecond diſquifition) and now proceed to our third, what their confirmation is, and how it works, if for all that, God put no truſt in thoſe ſervants, but charged thoſe Angels with folly.
That Moſes did ſpeak nothing of the fall, or of the confirmation of Angels,Confirmati…. may juſtly ſeem a convenient reaſon to think, that he meant to ſpeak nothing of the creation of Angels neither. If Moſes had intended to have told us of the creation of Angels, he would have told us of their fall, and confirmation too; as having told us ſo particularly of the making of man, he tells us as particularly of the fall of man, and the reſtitution of man, by the promiſe of a Meſſiah in Paradiſe.
And therefore, that the Angels are wrapped up in that word of Moſes, The Heavens, and that they were made when the heavens were made, or that they are wrapped up in that word of Moſes, The Light, and that they were made, when Light was made, is all but conjecturall, & cloudy: Neither doth any article of that Creed, which we call the Apoſtles, direct us upon any conſideration of Angels. That they were created long before this world, all the Greek Fathers of the Eaſtern Church did conſtandy think; And in the Weſterne Church, amongſt the Latine Fathers, S. Ierome himſelf was ſo cleare in it, as to ſay, Sex millia, noſtri orbis, nondum implentur anni, Our world is not yet ſix thouſand yeares old, Et quantas aternitates, quantas ſaeculorum origines, ſayes that Father, what infinite revolutions of ages, what infinite eternities, did the Powers, and Principalities, and Thrones, and Angels of God, ſerve God in before? Theodoret that thinkes not ſo, thinks it not againſt any article of Faith, to think that it was ſo. Aquinas, that thinkes not ſo, will not call it an errour, to think ſo, out of a reverence to Athanaſius, and Nazianzen, who did think ſo; for that is an indelible character, which S. Ierome hath imprinted printed upon thoſe two Fathers, That no man ever durſt impute errour to Athanaſius, or Nazianzen. Therefore S. Auguſtine ſayes moderately, and with that diſcreet and charitable temper which becomes every man, in matters that are not fundamentall, Vt volet, unuſquiſq accipiat; I forbid no man, ſayes he, either opinion, That the Angels were made before the world, or with it; Dum non Deo coaeternos, & de vera foelicitate ſecuros non ambigat; Only this I forbid him, that he do not beleeve the Angels to be coeternall with God; For, if they were never made, but ſubſiſt of themſelves, then they are God, If they be not creatures, they are Creators; And then, this I forbid him too, ſayes he, That he do not think the Angels now in any danger of falling. So that S. Auguſtine makes this, matter of faith, That the Angels cannot fall; Nor hath S. Auguſtine any adverſary in that point; we only inquire how they acquired this Infallibility, and aſſurance in their ſtation. For, if they were made ſo long before this world, and fell when this world was made, ſince they that had ſtood ſo long, fell then, why may not they that ſtand yet, fall now? They are ſupported and eſtabliſhed by a confirmation, ſayes the Schoole; And that is our preſent and ordinary anſwer; and it is enough; But how, or when was this confirmation ſealed upon them, or how doth it work in them, if God doe not yet truſt theſe ſervants, but charge theſe Angels with folly?
That the Angels were created Viatores, Viatores.and not Beati, in a poſſibility of everlaſting bleſſedneſſe, but not in actuall poſſeſſion of it, admits no doubt, becauſe ſome of them did actually fall. Of whom S. Auguſtine ſayes, Beatae vitae dulcedinem nonguſtaverunt, nec faſtidiverunt acceptam; The Angels had not already fed upon Manna, and then were weary of that; Non ex eo quod acceperant, ceciderunt, ſed ex eo, quod, ſi ſubdi Deo voluiſſent, accepiſſent, They fell not from that which they were come to, but from that, to which, if they had applyed themſelves to God, they ſhould have come. So that then, they were not created in a ſtate of bleſſedneſſe, but in a way to it; and there was in them Pinguedo ſpiritus (as S. Ierome ſayes elegantly) they were meere ſpirits;In O…am. but if we compare them with God, there was a certain fleſhlineſſe, ſayes he, a certain fatneſſe, a ſlipprineſſe of falling into a worſe ſtate, for any thing that was in their nature; and the nature of thoſe that fell, and thoſe that ſtood, is all one, neither is their nature that do ſtand, changed by the benefit of their confirmation. Hence is it, that the Fathers are both ſo evident, and ſo concurrent in that aſſertion, That an Angel is a ſpirit, Gratiâ, & non Naturà immortalitatem ſuſcipiens, Damaſc. Juſt. Mart.that is, Immortall, but Immortall by additionall Grace, and not by Nature. Take it in the eldeſt; Immortalitas eorum ex aliena voluntate pendet, they have an Immortality, but dependant upon the will of another. And agreeably to thē another,Cyrill Alex. Quia ortum habuerunt, occidere poſſunt, Becauſe the Angels were produced of nothing, they may be reduced to nothing; for, Solus Deus naturaliter immortalis, ſayes that Father, Only God is immortall in himſelf, and by nature. And bring it from the elder to later Fathers, ſtill we ſhall meet that which was ſaid before by them, and S. Bernard ſayes after, Non creati, ſed facti immortales, they were not created at firſt, but made immortall after. Which S. Hierome carries even to a ſpirituall death, the death of ſin; Licèt non peccent, peccati tamen ſunt capaces, ſayes he; though Angels do not ſin, if they were left to themſelves, they might fin; As S. Ambroſe expreſſes the ſame thing elegantly, Non in praejudicium trahas, you muſt not draw that into conſequence, nor conclude ſo, Non moritur Gabriel, Vriel, Raphael non moritur, That the Angel Gabriel doth not die, Raphael, Vriel doth not die, therefore an Angel, and conſidered in his own nature, cannot die; for ſuch an impoſſibility of dying, as in the ſoul of man, all agree to be in Angels; for, We ſhall be like the Angels, which cannot die, ſayes Chriſt. But how this Immortality, and Infallibility accrues to them, and works in them, is ſtill under our diſquiſition, ſince In theſe his ſervants God puts no truſt, but charges theſe Angels with folly.
We have in the Eccleſiaſticall Story,An. Chriſti 512. a ſtory of Alamandurus, a King of the Saracens, who having been converted, and baptized, and catechized in the true faith, was after attempted by ſome Biſhops in his Court, of the Eutychian hereſie. The Eutychian hereſie was, That the divine nature in Chriſt, the Godhead, ſuffered aſwell as the Humane; and the good King, providing a Packet of Intelligence to be delivered him, or ſomething to be whiſpered in his eare in the preſence of thoſe hereticall Biſhops, upon reading thereof he told them, that he had received news, That Michael the Archangell was dead; And when thoſe Biſhops rejected that with a ſcorn, Alas Sir, Gabriel cannot die, Angels cannot die, The King replyed, if an Angel cannot die, if an Angel be impaſſible, why would you make me beleeve, that the God-head it ſelf, the Divine Nature ſuffered in Chriſt? So we ſee, that the piety of a religious King was able to maintain his holy ſtation, even againſt the reall practices of hereticall Court Biſhops. A pious and religious King ſhould not eaſily be ſuſpected of that levity, to hearken to impious and hereticall motions, though there were good evidence, that that were practiſed upon him; much leſſe, when the feares in himſelf, and in thoſe which ſhould practiſe upon him, are but imaginary, and proceed, (as by Gods grace they doe) rather out of zeale that it may not be ſo, then out of evidence that it is ſo. Zeale diſtempered, (and God knowes, zeale is not alwaies well tempered) will think an Alamandurus, a conſtant and impregnable King, eaſily ſhaked; and zeale diſtempered will think an Athanaſius, a Nazianzen, an Eutychian Biſhop. Woe, when Gods ſword is in the Devils hand! zeale is Gods ſword; uncharitableneſſe is the Devils. When God gave a flaming ſword to the Cherubims in Paradiſe, they make good that place, but that ſword killed no body, wounded no body. God gives good men zeale; zeale to make good their ſtation, zeale to conſerve the integrity and the ſincerity of Religion, but this zeale ſhould not wound, not defame any man. Faith comes by hearing, by hearing Sermons, and God ſends us many of them; Charity goes out by hearing, by hearing rumours, and the Devill ſends many of them. God continue our faith, and reſtore our charity.
That Angels are impaſſible, that they cannot ſin, that they cannot die, all ſay; but that, if they were left to themſelves, without the ſupport of additionall grace, they might doe both; not only the Ancient Fathers, but, both the firſt Schoole, from Damaſcen, and the middle Schoole, from Lombard, and the later Schoole, (if we except only thoſe Authors that have writ ſince the Lateran Councell, I meane the later Lateran Councell, in our Fathers times, (under Leo the tenth) in which Councell, it was firſt determined, that the ſoul of man (and conſequently Angels) was immortall by nature) doe waigh down the ſcale on that ſide, That God does not ſo truſt in thoſe ſervants, nor ſo diſcharge them, of all weakneſſe, but that they might fall, but for this ſupport of grace, which is their Confirmation. Now how is this conferd upon them?
In Chriſt certainly; In Chriſt the Father reconciled to himſelf all things in earth,In Chriſto. Coloſſ. 1.12. and in heaven. How? Not as a Redeemer; for thoſe that fell, and thereby needed a redemption, never were, never ſhall be redeemed; but as a Mediator, an Interceſſor in their behalf, that thoſe that doe ſtand, may ſtand for ever. For, therefore, ſayes S. Auguſtine, doe the Angels refuſe ſacrifice at our hands, Quia & ipſis nohiſcum ſacrificium norunt, Becauſe they know that there is one ſacrifice offered to God, for them, and for us too, that is Chriſt Jeſus, a propitiation for them, and us; For us, by way of redemption; for them, by way of Mediation, and Interceſſion. In ſuch a ſenſe, as S. Auguſtine confeſſes that God had forgiven him the ſins he never did, becauſe but for his grace he ſhould have done them, the Angels are well ſaid to have received a reconciliation in Chriſt, becauſe, but for his mediation, they might have fallen into Gods diſpleaſure. Upon thoſe words, that God ſhewed Adam his judgements, Quae judicia? ſaies that Biſhop Catharinus, Eech…. 27.12.what judgements did God ſhew Adam? Iudicia peſsimorum ſpirituum, ſayes he, the better to containe Adam in his duty, God declared to him, the judgement that he had executed upon thoſe diſobedient Angels. So that, as Adam, if he had made a right uſe of Gods grace, had been immortall in his body, and yet not immortall then, by nature, as our bodies in the ſtate of glory in the reſurrection, ſhall be immortall, and yet not immortall then by nature; ſo no Angell, after this Confirmation, (that is, the mediation of Chriſt applied to him) ſhall fall: For, Quis Catholicus ignorat, Aug.nullum novum Diabolum ex bonis Angelis futurum? Who can pretend to be a Catholique, and beleeve, that ever there ſhall be any new Devill from amongſt the good Angels? And yet, by the way, many of the Ancient Fathers thought that thoſe words, That the ſons of God ſaw the daughters of men to be faire, and fell in love with them, were meant of good Angels, who fell in love with thoſe women, that were committed to their charge, and that they ſinned in ſo doing, and that they never returned to heaven, but fell to the firſt fallen Angels: So that thoſe Fathers have more then implied a poſſibility of falling into ſin, and puniſhment for ſin, in the good Angels.
But this none ſayes now; nor with any probability ever did. It is enough that they ſtand confirmed, confirmed by the grace of God in Chriſt Jeſus; ſo that now, being in poſſeſſion of the ſight of God, and the light of G…ry, their underſtanding is perfectly illuſtrated, ſo that they can apprehend nothing erroneouſly, and therefore their will is perfectly rectified, ſo that they can deſire nothing irregularly, and therefore they cannot ſin, and therefore they cannot die; for all ſin is from the perverſeneſſe of the will, and all diſorder in the will from errour in the underſtanding; In heaven they are, and we, by our aſſimilation to them, ſhall be free from both, and impeccable, and impaſſible, by the continuall grace of God; Though if they, or we were left to our ſelves, even there, God could put no truſt in his ſervants, nor leave his Angels uncharged with folly. And ſo we have done with the pieces, which conſtitute our firſt part, De quibus, of whom theſe words are ſpoken; Firſt, that they were ſpoken of Angels, rejecting that ſingle Capuccin, who only denies it; and then, of good Angels, accepting Calvins interpretation, becauſe, though he be ſingular in applying this Text to that Doctrine, yet in the Doctrine it ſelf, he hath authority enough, and faire reaſons for the Text it ſelfe; and laſtly, how that which we call Confirmation in thoſe Angels accrewes to them, and how it works in them. And ſo we paſſe to our ſecond Part, what is inferred upon theſe premiſſes, what concluded upon theſe propoſitions, what by our aſſimilation to Angels, reflects upon us.
And here,2. Part. Teſtis Eliphaz. becauſe the matter is of much conſideration, we propoſed firſt to be conſidered, the waight and validity of the teſtimony, in the perſon of him that gives it; for many times the credit of the reſtimony depends much upon the credit of the witneſſe. And here, it is not Iob himſelf, it is but Eliphaz, Eliphaz the Temanite, an Alien, a ſtranger to the Covenant, and Church of God. But ſurely no greater a ſtranger, then thoſe ſecular Poets, whoſe ſentences S. Paul cites not only in his Epiſtles, but in his Sermons too. Certainly not ſo great a ſtranger, as the Devill, and yet in how many places of Scripture, are words ſpoken by the Devill himſelf inſerted into the Scriptures, and thereby, ſo farre made the word of God, as that the word of God, the Bible, were not perfect norintire to us, if we had not thoſe words of thoſe Poets, thoſe words of the Devill himſelf in it? How can I doubt but that God can draw good out of ill, and make even ſome ſin of mine, ſome occaſion of my ſalvation, when the God of truth can make the word of the father of lies, his word? There is but one place in all this Book of Iob cited in the New Teſtament;Job 5.13. that is, He taketh the wiſe in their owne craft; and thoſe words are not ſpoken by Iob himſelf, but by this very friend of Iob, this Eliphaz, that ſpeaks in our Text;1 Cor. 3.19. and yet they are cited, in the phraſe, and manner, in which holy Scripture is ordinarily cited, It is written, ſayes the Apoſtle there, and ſo the Holy Ghoſt, that ſpoke in S. Paul, hath canonized the words ſpoken by Eliphaz.
But beſides the credit which theſe words have,Viſio. à poſteriori, that they are after inſerted into the word of God, (which is another manner of credit, and authentiqueneſſe, then that which the Canoniſts ſpeak of, that when any ſentence of a Father is cited, and inſerted into a Decretall Epiſtle of a Pope, or any part of the Canon Law, that ſentence is thereby made authenticall, and canonicall) theſe words have their credit à priori, for, before be ſpake them to Iob, he received them in a viſion from God. I had a viſion in the night, Ver. 12.ſayes he, and feare, and trembling came upon me, and a ſpirit ſtood before me, and I heard this voyce.
Neither is there any neceſſity, no nor reaſon, to charge Eliphaz with a falſe relation, or counterfaiting a revelation from God, which he had not had, as ſome Expoſitors have done. For, howſoever in ſome argumentations, and applyings of things to Iobs particular caſe, we may finde ſome errors in Eliphaz, in modo probandi, in the manner of his proceeding, yet we ſhall not finde him to proceed upon falſe grounds; and therefore, we beleeve Eliphaz to have received this that he ſayes, from God, in a viſion, and for the inſtruction of a man, more in Gods favour then himſelf, of Iob. Balaam had the reputation of a great Wizard, and yet God made his Aſſe wiſer then he, and able to inſtruct and catechize him. Generally we are to receive our inſtructions from Gods eſtabliſhed Ordinances, from his ordinary meanes afforded to us, in his Church: And where thoſe meanes, ſufficient in themſelves, are duly exhibited to us, we are not to hearken after revelations, nor to beleeve every thing, that may have ſome ſuch apparance, to be a revelation.
But yet, we are not ſo to conclude God in his Law, as that he ſhould have no Prerogative, nor ſo to binde him up in his Ordinances, as that he never can, or never does work by an extraordinary way of revelation. Neither muſt the profuſion of miracles, the prodigality and proſtitution of miracles in the Romane Church, (where miracles for every naturall diſeaſe may be had, at ſome Shrine, or miracle-ſhop, better cheap, then a Medicine, a Drugge, a Simple at an Apothecaries) bring us to deny, or diſtruſt all miracles, done by God upon extraordinary cauſes, and to important purpoſes. Eliphaz was a prophane perſon, and yet received a Viſion from God, and for the inſtruction of Iob himſelfe.
What was it? we ſee ver. 17. Shall mortall man be more juſt then God, Quid.ſhall a man be more pure then his Maker? Why? Did this Doctrine need this ſolemnity, this preparation, that Eliphaz gives it, v. 8. That it was a thing told him in ſecret, and ſuch a ſecret, that he was able to comprehend but a little at once of it? Is there any ſuch incomprehenſibleneſſe, any ſuch difficulty in this Doctrine, That no mortall man is more juſt then God, no man more pure then his Maker, but that the ſhalloweſt capacity may receive it, and the ſhorteſt memory retaine it? Needs this a Revelation, an extraordinary conveyance? For the generall knowledge it does not; Every man will ſay, he knowes mortall man cannot be more juſt then God, nor any man purer then his Maker; But, for the particular conſideration it does. Every juſtifying a ſin, is a making mortall man more juſt then God; when I come to ſay, With what juſtice can God puniſh a nights, or an houres ſin, with everlaſting torments? Every murmuring at Gods corrections is a making man purer then God; when I come to ſay, Does not God depart farther from the purity of his nature, when he is an angry, and a vindicative God, then I from mine, when I am an amorous, or wanton man? We that are but mortall men, muſt not think, ſayes Eliphaz, to make our ſelves purer then our Maker; for, they, who in their nature, are much purer then we, the Angels, are farre ſhort of that, for, God put no truſt in thoſe ſervants, and thoſe Angells he charged with folly.
So then, though Eliphaz his premiſſes reach to the Angels, and their ſtate, his inference and his laſt purpoſe fals upon us, who, by Gods goodneſſe, become capable of ſucceſſion into the place of the Angels that are fallen, and of an aſſociation, and aſſimilation to thoſe Angels that ſtand. And our aſſimilation is this, That as they have in their ſtation, we alſo ſhall have in ours, a faithfull certitude, that we ſhall never fall out of the armes and boſome of our gracious God. But then, there ariſes to us a ſweeter relliſh in conſidering this ſtability, this perpetuity, this infallibility to conſiſt in the continuall ſucceſſion, and ſupply of grace, then in any one act, which God hath done for them, or us. I conceive a more effectual delight, when I conſider God to have ſo wrought the confirmation of Angels, that he hath taken them into a ſtate of glory, and a fruition of his ſight, and to perpetuate that ſtate unto them, perpetually ſuperinfuſes upon them more and more beames of that glory, then if I ſhould conſider God to have confirmed them, with ſuch a meaſure of grace, at once, as that he could not withdraw, or they could forfeit that grace. For, as there is no doubt made by the Fathers, nor by the Schoole, but that that light which the Apoſtles ſaw at the Transfiguration of Chriſt, was that very light of glory, which they ſee now in Heaven, and yet they loſt the ſight of that light againe; ſo is there no violation of any Article of our Faith, if we concurre in opinion with them, who ſay, That S. Paul in his extaſie, in his rapture into the third heaven, did ſee that very light of glory, which conſtitutes the Beatificall Viſion, and yet did loſe that light againe.
Truly to me, this conſideration, That as his mercy is new every morning, ſo his grace is renewed to me every minute, That it is not by yeſterdaies grace that I live now, but that I have Panem quotidianum, and Panem horarium, My daily bread, my hourely bread, in a continuall ſucceſſion of his grace, That the eye of God is open upon me, though I winke at his light, and watches over me, though I ſleep, That God makes theſe returnes to my ſoule, and ſo ſtudies me in every change, this conſideration, infuſes a ſweeter verdure, and imprints a more cheerefull tincture upon my ſoule, then any taſte of any one Act, done at once, can miniſter unto me. God made the Angels all of one naturall condition, in nature all alike; and God gave them all ſuch grace, as that thereby they might have ſtood; and to them that uſed that grace aright, he gave a farther, a continuall ſucceſſion of grace, and that is their Confirmation; Not that they cannot, but that they ſhall not fall; not that they are ſafe in themſelves, but by Gods preſervation ſafe; for, otherwiſe, He puts no truſt in thoſe Servants, and thoſe Angels he charges with folly.
This is our caſe too; ours that are under the bleſſed Election, and good purpoſe of God upon us; if we do not fall from him, it is not of our ſelves; for left to our ſelves, we ſhould: For,Iohn 5. ſo S. Auguſtine interprets thoſe words of our Saviour, Pater operatur, My Father worketh ſtill; God hath not accompliſhed his worke upon us, in one Act, though an Election; but he works in our Vocation, and he works in our Juſtification, and in our Sanctification he works ſtill. And, if God himſelfe be not ſo come to his Sabbath, and his reſt in us, but that he works upon us ſtill for all that Election, ſhall any man thinke to have ſuch a Sabbath, ſuch a reſt, in that Election, as ſhall ſlacken our endeavour, to make ſure our Salvation, and not worke as God works, to his ends in us? Hence then we baniſh all ſelf-ſubſiſtence, all attributing of any power, to any faculty of our own; either by preoperation, in any naturall or morall diſpoſing of our ſelves, before Gods preventing grace diſpoſe us, or by ſuch a cooperation, as ſhould put God and man in Commiſſion together, or make grace and nature Collegues in the worke, or that God ſhould do one halfe, and man the other; or any ſuch poſt-operation, That I ſhould thinke to proceed in the waies of godlineſſe, by vertue of Gods former grace, without imploring, and obtaining more, in a continuall ſucceſſion of his concomitant grace, for every particular action: In Chriſt I can do all things; I need no more but him; without Chriſt, I can doe nothing; not onelyonly not have him, but not know that I need him; for I am not better then thoſe Angels, of whom it is ſaid, He put no truſt in thoſe Servants, and thoſe Angels hee charged with folly.
And as we baniſh from hence all ſelf-ſubſiſtence, all opinion of ſtanding by our ſelves, ſo doe we alſo all impeccability, and all impoſſibility of falling in our ſelves, or in any thing, that God hath already done for us, if he ſhould diſcontinue his future grace, and leave us to our former ſtock. They that were raiſed from death to life againe, Dorcas, Lazarus, and the reſt, were ſubject to ſin, in that new life, which was given them. They that are quickned by the ſoule of the ſoule, Election it ſelfe, are ſubject to ſin, for all that. God ſees the ſins of the Elect, and ſees their ſins to be ſins; and in his Ephemerides, his journals, he writes them downe, under that Title, ſins, and he reads them every day, in that booke, as ſuch; and they grow greater and greater in his ſight, till our repentance have waſhed them out of his ſight. Caſuiſts will ſay, that though a dead man raiſed to life againe, be not bound to his former marriage, yet he is bound to that Religion, that he had inveſted in Baptiſme, and bound to his former religious vowes, and the ſame obedience to Superiours as before. We were all dead in Adam; and he that is raiſed againe, even by Election, though he be not ſo married to the world, as others are, not ſo in love with ſin, not ſo under the dominion of ſin, yet he is as much bound to an obedience to the Will of God declared in his Law, and may no more preſume of a liberty of ſinning before, nor of an impunity of ſin after, then he that pretends no ſuch Election, to confide in.Proſpe…. For, this is excellently ſaid, to be the working of our election, by Proſper, the Diſciple of S. Auguſtines Doctrines, and the Eccho of his words, Vt fiat permanendi voluntaria, foelixque neceſsitas, That our aſſurance of ſalvation by perſeverance, is neceſſary, and yet voluntary; Conſider it in Gods purpoſe, eaſily it cannot, conſider it in our ſelves, it might be reſiſted. For we are no better then thoſe Angels, and, In thoſe ſervants he put no truſt, and thoſe Angels he charged with folly.
But ſuch as they are,Numerus. … 130.7. we ſhall be: And, ſince with the Lord there is Copioſa Redemptio, Plenteous Redemption, that overflowing mercy of our God, thoſe ſuper-ſuperlative Merits of our Saviour, that plenteous Redemption, may hold even in this particular bleſſedneſſe, in our aſſimilation to them, That as, though there fell great numbers of Angels, yet great, and greater then they that fell, ſtood, So though The way to Heaven be narrow, and the gate ſtrait, (which is ſaid by Chriſt, to excite our induſtry, and are rather an expreſſion ariſing out of his mercy, leſt we ſhould ſlacken our holy endeavours, then any intimidation, or commination) (for though the way be narrow, and the gate ſtrait, yet the roome is ſpacious enough within) why, by this plenteous redemption, may we not hope,… 12.…. that many more then are excluded, ſhall enter there? Thoſe words, The dragons taile drew the third part of the ſtars from Heaven, the Fathers generally interprete of the fall of Angels with Lucifer; and it was but a third part; And by Gods grace, whoſe mercy is overflowing, whoſe merits are ſuper-abundant, with whom there is plenteous redemption, the ſerpent gets no farther upon us. I know ſome ſay, that this third part of the ſtars, is meant of eminent perſons, illuſtrated and aſſiſted with the beſt meanes of ſalvation, and, if a third of them, how many meanlier furniſhed, fall? But, thoſe that we can conſider to be beſt provided of meanes of ſalvation, nextto theſe, are Chriſtians in generall; and ſo may this plenteous Redemption be well hoped to worke, that but a third part of them, of Chriſtians, ſhall periſh; and then the God of this plenteous Redemption having promiſed us, that the Chriſtian Religion ſhall be carried over all the world, ſtill the number of thoſe that ſhall be ſaved is enlarged.
Apply to thy ſelfe that which S. Cyril ſaies of the Angels, Triſtaris, quia aliqui vitam amiſerunt? Does it grieve thee, that any are fallen? At plures meliorem ſtatum apud Deum obtinent, Let this comfort thee, even in the application thereof to thy ſelfe, that more ſtood then fell. As Eliſha ſaid to his ſervant, in a danger of ſurpriſall, Feare not, 2 King 6.16.for they that be with us, are more then they that are with them, ſo, if a ſuſpition of the paucity of them that ſhall be ſaved, make thee afraid, looke up upon this overflowing mercy of thy God, this ſuper-abundant merit of thy Saviour, this plenteous Redemption, and thou maiſt finde, finde in a faire credulity, and in a well regulated hope, more with thee, then with them that periſh. Live ſo, in ſuch a warfare with tentations, in ſuch a colluctation with thy concupiſcences, in ſuch a jealouſie, and ſuſpition of thine indifferent, nay, of thy beſt actions, as though there were but one man to be ſaved, and thou wouldſt be that one; But live and die in ſuch a ſenſe of this plenteous Redemption of thy God, as though neither thou, nor any could loſe ſalvation, except he doubted of it. I doubt not of mine own ſalvation; and in whom can I have ſo much occaſion of doubt, as in my ſelf? When I come to heaven, ſhall I be able to ſay to any there, Lord! how got you hither? Was any man leſſe likely to come thither then I? There is not only an OnelyOnly God in heaven; But a Father, a Son, a Holy Ghoſt in that God; which are names of a plurality, and ſociable relations, converſable notions. There is not only one Angel, a Gabriel; But to thee all Angels cry alond; and Cherubim, and Seraphim, are plurall terminations; many Cherubs, many Seraphs in heaven. There is not only one Monarchall Apoſtle, a Peter, but The glorious company of the Apoſtles praiſe thee. There is not onelyonly a Proto-Martyr, a Stephen, but The noble army of Martyrs praiſe thee. Who ever amongſt our Fathers, thought of any other way to the Moluccaes, or to China, then by the Promontory of Good hope? Yet another way opened it ſelf to Magellan; a Straite; it is true; but yet a way thither; and who knows yet, whether there may not be a North-Eaſt, and a North-Weſt way thither, beſides? Go thou to heaven, in an humble thankfulneſſe to God, and holy cheerfulneſſe, in that way that God hath manifeſted to thee; and do not pronounce too bitterly, too deſperately, that every man is in an errour, that thinkes not juſt as thou thinkeſt, or in no way, that is not in thy way. God found folly, weakneſſe in his Angels, yet more ſtood then fell; God findes weakneſſe, wickedneſſe in us, yet hee came to call, not the righteous, but ſinners to repentance; and who, that comes in that capacity, a Repentant ſinner, can be ſhut out, or denied his part in this Reſurrection?
The key of David opens, and no man ſhuts. The Son of David, is the key of David, Chriſt Jeſus; He hath opened heaven for us all; let no man ſhut out himſelf, by diffidence in Gods mercy, nor ſhut out any other man, by overvaluing his own purity, in reſpect of others. But forbearing all lacerations, and tearings, and woundings of one another, with bitter invectives, all exaſperations by odious names of ſubdiviſion, let us all ſtudy, firſt the redintegration of that body, of which Chriſt Jeſus hath declared himſelfe to be the head, the whole Chriſtian Church, and pray that he would, and hope that he will enlarge the means of ſalvation to thoſe, who have not yet been made partakers of it. That ſo, he that called the gates of heaven ſtraite, may ſay to thoſe gates,Pſal. 24.7. Elevamini portae aeternales, Be ye lifted up, ye eternall gates, and be ye enlarged, that as the King of glory himſelf is entred into you, for the farther glory of the King of glory, not only that hundred and foure and forty thouſand of the Tribes of the children of Iſrael, but that multitude which is ſpoken or in that place, which no man can number, of all Nations, and Kindreds, Apoc. 7.19.and People, and friends, may enter with that acclamation, Salvation to our God, which ſitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever. And unto this City of the living God, Heb. 12.22, 23, 24.the heavenly Ieruſalem, and to the innumerable company of Angels, to the generall aſſembly, and Church of the firſt b…n, which are written in heaven, and to God the Iudge of all, and to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, and to Ieſus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of ſprinkling, that ſpeaks better things then that of Abel, Bleſſed God bring us all, for thy Sons ſake, and by the operation of thy Spirit. Amen.