The Ancient Christian Religion, Book 2 · Part 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Treateth of Angels both Good and Bad; and of the Service of the first, and Disservice of the Last to Mankind.
SECT. I.
FOrasmuch as it may conduce much to our Comfort and Admonition, to contemplate this Subject touching the Angelical Powers, we shall not intermit in these our Discourses of the Internal part of Christianity to speak somewhat thereof, although an exact knowledg herein is undoubtedly reserved to Eternity; Howbeit, some things in this case are revealed in the Scriptures, as necessary to be known by the Christian Man, in via, whose duty it is to hold such of them in execration, as shall prove themselves inimical to the Gospel of God, Gal. 1. 4, 8. and whose honour it shall be to judg them, when God shall bring to Light all the hidden things of Darkness, 1 Cor. 6. 3. And that we may not wander into scrutinies which are unnecessary, we shall content our selves with the brief consideration of these ensuing Particulars.
1. Of their Original.
2. Their Dignity, and great Number.
3. The Apostasie of some of them.
4. The envy of the Apostate against Man.
5. The Office and Care of the Good to such as fear God.
6. The final Estate of Angels both Good and Bad.
When Moses gives an account of the Creation, Gen. 2. 1. he tells us, Thus were the Heavens and the Earth finished, and all the Host of them: Which implies the Creation of the Angles, among the rest of the Creatures. For though the Sun, Moon, and Stars, are sometimes called the Host of Heaven; yet they are not all the Host of them, for we find the Angels are so called, Gen. 32. 2. And the Angels of God met him; and Jacob said, This is God's Host. And Luke 2. 13. There were with the Angels, (viz. those that first appeared to the Shepherds) a multitude of the Heavenly Host, praising God. These are the Hosts, unto which the most High God doth so frequently intitle himself as their Lord in the Old Testament, though but once expressed in the New, Jam. 5. 4. for the word Sabbaoth and Hosts are of the same import. That these Glorious Saints are created Beings, is yet more evident, Psal. 147. where the Prophet having called upon the Angels, as well as other parts of the Creation, to praise the Lord, he gives this general Reason for it, For he commanded, and they were created. So that how excellent soever they are, yet were they not from Eternity, but took their Being in Time; and by the Word of God they were produced or brought forth in a creaturely capacity, and so to be looked upon, and not to be adored with Divine Honours, as many have vainly fancied, and for which they are reproved by the Apostle, Col. 2. 18. As the Error of Adoration of Angels is dangerous, in that it intrencheth upon the Right of him who made them, and hath ordained them to worship him and his Holy Child Jesus, Heb. 1. So it is a very gross Error, to deny that there are any Angels or Spirits Celestial, as the Sadduces did, because it also taketh away the Glory of the Creator, in that part of his handy-work, which hath gloriously appeared in the Creation and Exaltation of those Heavenly Powers which are modestly to be sought out among the great Works of God, by all such as have pleasure therein.
SECT. II. Of the Dignity and great number of Angels.
Here the nature of Angels is first to be considered, which is described to be Heavenly, or Spiritual, elevated above all Terrene, or Sublunary things, 1 Cor. 15. 40. For though the Sun, Moon, and Stars, be here more expresly noted for Celestial Bodies, yet I see no reason to exempt the Angels from that Appellation, because of the parity which the Saints shall hold with them, when they shall be endowed with Spiritual Bodies, ver. 44. compared with Mat. 22. 30. However, Heb. 2. 16. For verily, he took not on him the Nature of Angels, &c. And again, ver. 9. Made a little lower than the Angels, for the suffering of Death; plainly shew, that the Angelical Nature, is Immortal, or such as cannot Die, and therefore dignified in Nature above Mankind, who though by the Power of God might have lived ever, and shall in the Resurrection be immortalized; yet, in respect of his natural Constitution, he is subject to Mortality ab origine.
When the Scripture saith of the Angels, that He (to wit God) maketh his Angels Spirits, his Ministers a flame of Fire, Psal. 104. 4. Hence the Apostle infers both, that they are created, or made, and that they are by nature Spirits, Heb. 1. 7. and thence infers the Godhead of Christ, because he is the Begotten Son of God, and as such in Nature above the Angels, yet admits that they are in a very high state for Creatures.
Again, their Capacity, to be either Visible, or Invisible, shews the sublimity of their Nature, Numb. 22. 22, to 34. For it appeareth not that the visive faculty of Balaams Ass, was more quick than Balaam's, but God would not give him the favour to see the Angel, till he had manifested his Folly. In this the Angels agree with Spirits, whose property is to appear to sight, or to vanish out of sight. What is the proper form of Angels, is hard to determine; yet it is said of them, Ezek. 1. 5. that they have the form of a Man. Although 'tis true, the description there given is full of variety, their appearance was in Humane Form, both in the Old Testament, and the New: Nor have we any account of any Similitude more noble, either in Heaven, or in Earth. And to say they have no Form, is to make them (being Creatures) we know not what; nay, what every Man shall fancy. But certain it is, if we in the Resurrection shall bear the form of Men, as that is not to be doubted, and that we shall be like the Angels of God in Heaven, then they also must be like us, and consequently we shall bear much the same Similitude.
As the Angels are called Living Creatures, so a Query may be made, Whether they subsist by Nutriment, or without? I conceive they have a Nutriment fitted to their Heavenly State, not attended with Necessity; for when it is said, Man did eat Angels food, meaning Manna, which God rained down from Heaven, called also the Bread of the Mighty, Psal. 78. 25. what can we understand less, than that the glorious Angels have a nutriment of that kind? And here again, our parity with the Angels in the Resurrection, infers the truth of this, for then shall we have a capacity to eat and drink; for so had our Saviour, though this Capacity shall be devoid of necessity, for we shall neither hunger nor thirst any more.
The Dignity of Angels, appears in the Epithites given to them, viz. Thrones, Dominations, Powers, Principalities, &c. Which Titles must needs signifie their great Dignities, as the greatness of their Power and Might, as the Apostle hath it, 2 Pet. 2. 11.
Not is it needful (as I suppose) to dispute about the Sovereignty of one of these Orders above another: The saying of Augustine is good in this place, Ego me ista ignorare confiteor: For though their Offices may differ, I rather think they are all immediately subject to one Lord, and not constituted Lords one over another. And though Michael is called the Prince, yet he is Prince of the Children of God, Dan. 10. 21. Origen takes this Angel to be Christ himself; who is also supposed to be called an Angel, Rev. 8. 3, 4. because he only can offer up the Prayers of his People acceptably. But if we understand Michael here to be an Arch-Angel, yet will it not follow that he hath Power over the Angels, but some more especial Trust committed to him by God; who may prefer some of these glorious Creatures to attend more immediately upon his Majesty than others; for so it is said of the Angel Gabriel, That he stands in the presence of God, Luke 1. 19. and was sent upon the special occasion of the Conception of our Saviour, and the Baptist his Messenger.
Again, the Dignity of Angels is very great, in that they are said to be the Chariots of God, Psal. 68. 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of Angels, the Lord is among them, &c. Hence we learn, that the most High God doth transact his great Affairs by them in the Regiment of the World, as pleaseth him. Thus he commissionates them to destroy the Assyrian Army, 2 Kings 19. 35. to correct the Sin of his own People, 2 Sam. 24. 16, 17. to defend them against their Enemies, Josh. 5. 13, 14. to minister to Christ, Matth. 4. 11. to comfort him in his Agony, Luke 22. 13, 14. to roll away the Stone from his Sepulchre, making the Earth to quake at his Resurrection, Matth. 28. 2. Yea, they are sent to and fro through the whole Earth, Zach. 1. 10. These are they who are said to excel in strength, doing the Pleasure of their Heavenly King, and are said to be great in Dignity, 2 Pet. 2. 11.
The number of Angels is very great, as our Saviour informs us, when he tells us, he could have had more than twelve Legions of them to rescue him out of the Hands of Men, Matth. 26. 53. The same is held forth, Dan. 7. 10. Ten thousand ministred to him: Yea, they are expresly said to be innumerable, Heb. 12. 22. The innumerable company of Angels.
Thus was the most High God pleased to honour himself, by creating so mighty an Host, even from the beginning of the World, to be the Subjects of his Heavenly Seat, or Place of more especial Residence; who are therefore called the Angels of God in Heaven.
SECT. III. Of the dreadful Apostacy of some of the Angels.
The Apostacy of some (and that very many) of these glorious Creatures, is evidently set down in Sacred History; and most clearly in the New Testament. Our Saviour, John 8. 44. informs us, That the Devil was a Murtherer from the beginning, and abode not in the Truth; and saith; He is a lyer, and the Father of it; alluding hereby to the first entrance of Sin into the World, through the Devil's instigation, when he contradicted God, Gen. 3. 4. Ye shall not surely die, though God had said they should surely die. This Moses leaveth, with the mention of the Serpent, not expressing any thing of the Apostacy of the Angels in this place; which our Saviour fully openeth, and the same doth the Apostle allude to, 2 Cor. 11. 3. which is yet further explained, Rev. 12. 9. & 20. 3. That old Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the World.
Many and very strange are the Opinions of Learned Men, both Heathens, Jews, and Christians, touching this Matter, as Plato, Josephus; Cyrillus, whose Opinions are recounted by Dr. Willet in his Hexapla in Genesen; to which I refer the curious Reader, and do rest satisfied in this, that here we so plainly find the defection of the Angels, from that good Estate wherein they were created; for of them it's said, 2 Pet. 2. 4. God spared not the Angels that sinned. And as they at the first made use of the Serpent's Organ, from thence to reverberate Falshood; so have they since spoken through Idols, but most of all through evil Men, to the seduction of the World, and the estranging them from the Obedience due to their Creator. Thus those wretched Spirits, by these wicked Engines, do even to this day militate, or fight, against the Fear of the Lord, and all Vertue, having a Prince or chief Devil among them called Beelzebub. Not that the other Infernal Spirits are subject to him to do his Will, for we read not any such Power or Authority given to one Devil over another: But most probably he was an Angel of an higher Order, and so became a Ring-leader out of the Truth, so that the whole is often denominated as from him. As when it is said, Job 1. 7. The Devil compassed the Earth, walking up and down in it: It is necessarily to be supposed, That the whole Fraternity of the Devils was Active in that mischievous Perambulation: for they have one mind, (as our Saviour intimates, That Satan doth not cast out Satan) and manage one common design of mischief, as the unanswerableness of Men in their walkings towards God, gives them opportunity; Deut. 32. 17. They sacrificed to Devils, and not to God. And for this cause the Lord is said to send evil Angels among them, Psal. 78. 49. For when Men chuse their own ways, then God doth in judgment chuse their Delusions, and brings their fear upon them, Isa. 66. 3, 4.
This dreadful Apostacy of the Angels, caused a most sad change in the new-made World: and may strike with amazement the most considerate Christian; that he that is most Wise and Omnipotent, should suffer so great a change to befal so glorious a Work in so short a time, and that by his own Servants, or Creatures, whom he had set in a good Estate! But here we must stop our Imaginations, and know it is not of concernment to us to know the occasion of the fall of Angels, about which some have thought this, another that; but it's certainly the way to avoid Error herein, to content our selves not to know it; whilst to assert any thing this way, or that, is almost a sure way to err. God knew how much Wisdom and Strength was fit to be committed to his Creatures respectively, and was not bound to make them stand in that state of necessity; he may do what he pleaseth with his own. That the Sin of the Angels was very great, is evident, not only from our Saviour's description of it, John 8. but also from the nature of their Punishment, God having shut them up in Chains under darkness to the Judgment of the great Day, without the least tender of Mercy; whilst Mankind (whose Sin was great) hath a Remedy offered. How their Sin was circumstanced, do not wish to know, sith it is too well known, That what Sin Men do know, they are too apt to imitate, yea, too often study to find out more. If thou knew the Sin of Angels, how knowest thou but thou shouldst commit it, and then how couldst thou escape their Condemnation? It is then a great mercy, that of all mischief the Devils do, they are not permitted to divulge this their most black and dreadful Impiety to Men, who yet for all that find too many ways to sin themselves out of the reach of Pardon: for such Sins there are, and they that commit them, seem to vie with the Devils in their most rebellious Impieties. Great is the number of these Diabolical Spirits, Luke 8. 30. Our Name (say they) is Legion, for we are many. And sith the whole world is said to be deceived by the Devil, it must needs be that the Multitude is very great; for we must not imagine that one created Spirit can infuse it self through the Universe at the same instant, that being only proper to the Godhead to fill all places at the same time with his presence: But all Creatures, even Angels themselves, are finite, and admit of motion from place to place, and cannot know things universally: So that the number of these Spirits supplies more than enough their other deficiences to do mischief.
SECT. IV. Of the Envy of the Apostate Angels against Mankind.
But more particularly to set forth the envy of these fallen Angels against Mankind, we shall do it briefly; in observing, 1. how he spoiled his happy created State. 2. In labouring to spoil his Redemption. And, 3. his depriving many of Salvation, to whom that Grace is offered. And of these briefly and in general.
We have seen his envious attempt against the first Adam: for being now exposed to the Wrath of God, for leaving his own Habitation, it could be nothing but meer malice which mov'd the Devil to supplant Innocent Adam, seeing he could not better his own estate by destroying him. Whose Fall is the more deplorable, for that he had a capacity to have withstood that Enemy; as appears by the opposition made for a time, Gen. 3. 2, 3. We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden; but of the Fruit of the Tree, which is in the midst of the Garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, lest ye die, neither shall ye touch it, &c. And surely had our first Parents prosecuted this good Argument, it would have led them to enervate the most specious pretences of the Devil in his lying Reply; who knowing that flattery, with hopes of a better state than God thought fit for him, would be very taking, proceeds that way, perswading them they should be as God, &c. This was the poyson of the Serpent by which Adam sell, and in him his Posterity, as the sequel shewed: for the whole World as it grew, felt the malice of this Adversary, till at last we find all flesh to forsake God's way, and the whole Earth to be filled with violence, Gen. 6. 11, 12. Being full of envy, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 1. 29. the natural effect of Satan's Operation, Jam. 4. 5. Do ye think the Scripture saith invain, The Spirit which dwelleth in us lusteth to Envy? That is, Man's natural Spirit being influenced by Satan, bringeth forth those envious Qualities one against another: So that Men may read the envious Nature of the Devil in all Nations, whom he has greatly enthrall'd in the ways of Perdition and Destruction.
No less maliciously did he assault the Redeemer of the World, to make fruitless his coming to save the World, Mat. 4. 1, to 12. removing him from Place to Place, from Temptation to Temptation, from Argument to Argument, if by any means he might prevail; not to make his own case better, (for that was impossible) but to aggravate Man's misery, which was the greatest evidence of Envy imaginable; and the rather, because it heightens his own condemnation.
The nature of these Evil Angels, (as such) is best seen in the temper of Evil Men, as acted by them. Cain is said to be of the Evil One, and slew his Brother; But wherefore slew he him? Because his own Works were Wicked, and his Brothers Righteous. Here's the perfect Image of the Evil Angels, who influence Evil Men to destroy the Good, meerly because they are Good; they are therefore called haters of those that are Good, 2 Tim. 3. 3. Through Envy the Son of God was put to death, under the notion of a Deceiver and Malefector. By which Artifice, the Devil cheated the Jewish Nation generally of Salvation by Christ: for seeing he must die for the Salvation of Men, the Devil could no way more hinder the Fruit of his Death, than to render him as one that died wickedly: And to do it to the life, the High Priest must be his Judg as touching his Doctrine, and he must be crucified among Thieves, and placed as if he were the chief Offender. But God, who foresaw all these Devices, did also pre-declare all this by his Prophets, that so the fulfilling thereof might become the very Argument to vanquish Incredulity, and to confirm the Faith of God's People, to the utter defeating the Devil; for in the thing wherein these Wicked Spirits and Evil Men dealt most proudly, the Lord was above them.
The Devil now seeing the Son of God thus caught up to the Throne of Glory, and that his Name must be exalted above every Name, Maugre his envy, he turns his malice against the Righteous Seed, which keep the Commands of God, and the Faith of Jesus, Rev. 12. ult. who is therefore called your Adversary the Devil, and prosecutes his devouring design against them, as the Lion doth his Prey, 1 Pet. 5. 8. And very desirous he is to have the most useful Instruments of God's Church, that he may sift or winnow them, or toss them in the Air, and so destroy both them, and the Fruit which might by them be brought forth in the Salvation of Sinners.
How Satan's Envy went out against Job, we know by the Scriptures; how he emulates our Souls, we cannot be ignorant, having daily experience of his Internal Allurements and Furies, as also his outward Baits, and manifold Snares. All which have this tendency to quench the Light, and take away the love of the Truth, which God hath shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost, chiefly to prevent the exaltation of Christ, and to reign in our Hearts himself by the Spirit of Disobedience. And the better to effect their proud design against the exaltation of Christ, they get into high Places, Ephes. 6. 22. not the Air, (as some do interpret the place) but Seats of worldly Judicature: As he did at the Crucifiction of of our Lord, where doubtless he was present, if not President, in that erring Council: And the same he did in the Courts of the persecuting Emperors, and all Persecutors to this day. Nor may this seem strange, for his Pride and Envy prompts him to obtrude upon the Church of God, giving out of himself that he is God, 2 Thess. 2. 4. And thus having exalted himself above all that is worshipped; he frameth mischief by a Law; Psal. 94. 20. This done, he sets up a Ministry to preach Christ, of Envy and Strife, to make the Affliction of the Faithful Ministers of God more intollerable, and to turn Christianity in the Power of it, to a meer empty Name; and so doth his Envy prevail, that by this he so corrupts the Word, that Men may have a Zeal of God, and yet not be saved. For all which see Phil. 1. 15. 2 Cor. 2. 17. Rom. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4. Thus these wicked Spirits of Devils compared to Frogs, Rev. 16. 13, 14. seduce both high and low, infusing their poyson of Envy into their Hearts, the effect whereof is hatred one against another. And this mischief they not only effect in the darker places of the Earth, which is said to be full of the Habitations of Cruelty, but even there also where Men have in some good measure known the Gospel of God, which is a matter of great lamentation; which as it timely shewed it self among such, so it was early cryed out against by many, Clemens.and particularly by Clemens, in his Epistle to the Corinthians; who upon the occasion of the discords there found, saith, Envy, Contention, Sedition, Persecution, Trouble, War, and Captivity, hath thence proceeded. And then alludes to former times thus; See my Brethren, through Envy and Contention, the murther of a Brother by a Brothers hand. But what would he have said, had he lived to see or hear the unspeakable Cruelties, and malicious Contrivances, since his time, acted by Pretenders to Christianity? Against which we do hereby give our Testimony, acted by whom, or under what form of Profession soever, as being things no way suiting with Christianity, whose main Principles hingeth on this, to render to no Man evil for evil, but to overcome evil with good, Rom. 12. 21.
SECT. V. Of the Office and Care of Good Angels towards such as fear God.
How greatly the Lord delights in the Children of Men, such as fear him, is very apparent; as in many other, so in the case now to be considered. What is Man, that he should give his Angels charge concerning him? Psal. 91. 11. Man is made a little lower than the Angels, yet the Angels must serve him. Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all Ministring Spirits, sent forth to do his Will, for them that shall be Heirs of Salvation? Yea, they are said to encamp round about them that fear God, to deliver them. Indeed it may rationally be conceived, That the Evil Angels would certainly destroy the People of God, if not restrained: As is evident in the case of Job, who when God took away the Hedg which was about him, he soon felt the cruel hands of Satan. Now we know that the Lord is able to restrain the malice of the Devils, without Angels to assist; but sith they are his Ministers, 'tis meet they do his Will, whose Will is, that they should guard his People in this evil World, as we shewed from Heb. 1. 14. Psal. 34. 8. & 91. 11. And therefore the good Angels do doubtless withstand the evil Angels in their Attempts against God's People: An Instance of which we have in the case of Moses, when Michael the Arch-Angel contended with the Devil about his Body: Surely the Devil is emnitious enough against all Saints, and good Angels are not partial: So that we may safely conclude, they guard the Children of God in general, especially having those general Testimonies of the Holy Scripture to confirm us in so believing; besides many particular cases, both in the Old and New Testaments, shewing the care God's Angels have always had of his faithful People.
But here it will admit of consideration, That seeing 'tis said the Angels are Ministring Spirits for them which shall be Heirs of Salvation; whether it follow not from hence, that they have only benefit by the good Angels, and the rest of Mankind left to the tutelage of the Apostate Angels?
To this difficulty I thus Answer: 1. That it seems from our Saviour's words, Matth. 18. 10. Their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father in Heaven; That all the Children of Men are at the first under the care of the Good Angels, because what Christ here speaks, he speaks of Infants indefinitely, i. e. he speaks the same of all, that he speaks of any of them. 2. To say that some Infants have no benefit by any Angels at all, will make the business very weak; for so no Man can be assured he hath an interest in such a favour. 3. To say that any are left to the tutelage of the Apostate Angels, is the worst that can be said, and reflects great dishonour upon that God, whose tender mercy is over all his Works; because this is in effect to say, the greater part of Mankind are committed to the tutelage of the Devils, even from their Infancy; and then how should it be avoided, but that they must be wicked of necessity? But this will intrench upon the Attribute of God's Mercy, and his Faithfulness too, who hath said, yea sworn, That he hath no pleasure in the death of the Wicked, but rather that they turn and live: And therefore doubtless he hath committed them to better Guardians, even to the care of the Holy Angels; for seeing we are all the Off-spring of God, we cannot think but he tenders our happiness, unless we can be so proud to think, That we as Fathers are more benign to our Children, than God is to his Off-spring.
It is certain, God hath sent good Angels to wicked Men, to turn them from their folly; as in the case of Balaam, how faithfully did the Angel reprove him, and set the danger of his evil Enterprize before him: and though it is true, the Angel is said to have a Sword ready to kill him, yet this is no other thing than befel Moses himself, who was in the same danger for not doing his duty to God, Exod. 4. 24. Israel had the Angel of God's presence to guard them, and received the Law by the disposition of Angels; yet did their Carkasses fall in the Wilderness, for they were generally a sinful Generation, and vexed the Angel of God, who therefore became their Enemy.
Again, we may know God's way of sending Angels Good or Bad to Men, by his way of sending Prophets unto them; the true Prophets he sends first, and in his own Name, to shew Men the way of Righteousness that they may be saved: But when these are rejected, then in judgment he sends them false Prophets, viz. permits them to publish their Delusions, for otherwise he sends them not, 1 Kings 22. 22. Thus God is said to send Men strong Delusions, that they should believe a Lye; namely, because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved, 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11. And after this manner God doth use the Ministry of evil Angels, Psal. 109. 6. Set a wicked Man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. — As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him; as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.
As for the good Angels, they are serviceable to all Men by God's appointment for their good: They are sent to publish glad tidings of great joy for all People, Luke 2. 10, 11. The Heavenly Angels, and God's Faithful Ministers on Earth, do certainly correspond in their Commissions, Desires, and Endeavours. Now for the latter, we know they seek the good of all Men, pray for all Men, preach the Word of Life to all Men. And the Angels of Heaven do encourage them thereto, Acts 5. 20. saying, Go, stand and speak in the Temple, all the words of this Life.
If here it be said that the Good Angels destroyed Sodom, slew the Army of Senacherib, &c. Gen. 19. 13. 2 Kings 19. 35.It is very true, and so 'tis said, That God hewed the People by the Prophets, and slew them by the words of their mouth. They are also said to be set over Kingdoms, to build and to plant, to root up and to pull down, and called Men of Contention to the whole Earth. And the same may be said of the Messengers or Ministers of the Gospel, who by preaching shall bring down Babylon; who sometimes smote particular Persons with great Judgments, as in the case of Ananias, Simon, and Elymas the Sorcerer. Acts 5. 5. & 13. 8.And yet who knows not that the first work of Ministers of the Gospel, is to speak peace to every City, House; every Creature, and to all Nations; in all which the Angels of God are their Comforters, as we shewed. And though the Angel of God was Israel's Conductor, yet when they obeyed not the Voice of God, he turned to be their Enemy. Yea, thus doth God himself, from whom Angels and all Ministers receive their Power; when Men walk contrary to him, he will walk contrary to them, and punish them yet seven times for their Iniquity. However, that saying, The Angels are Ministring Spirits, sent forth to do his Will, for them that shall be Heirs of Salvation, is a most comfortable word to the faithful; in whose good, the ministry of these Heavenly Guides results eternally.
And how exceeding useful the Angels of God are to his Children on Earth, may be understood from the use God formerly made of them: as first he gave the Law by the disposition of Angels, Acts 7. 33. Gal. 3. 19. And how they were concern'd in the discovery of the Birth, Resurrection, Ascension, and second coming of Christ, is evident, Luk. 2. 10. Acts 1. 10, 11. They shall be concern'd in the fall of Babylon, shewing by the throwing a Mill-stone into the Sea, the manner of her Fall; and do rejoyce thereat with the Holy Apostles and Prophets. They defend the Worship of God only, when his People step awry in that case, Rev. 19. 20. An Angel comforted Paul, and all that were with him, though many of them were ill Men, Acts 27. 24. And surely they that were so serviceable in times past, have not lost their good affection towards the Lord's People, but are the same now as afore-time. We know the Devils are as ready to hurt us as ever. And though it is true they do not now appear that we hear of (at least not so frequently) as in times past, yet it follows not that they are unmindful of us; for neither do the Devils appear as in times past, yet seek they with no less diligence to harm us than when they so appeared. We know the Spirit of Promise did appear, or give demonstration of his presence in the Church, by the sound (as it were) of a mighty rushing Wind, and cloven Tongues, as of Fire: Act. 2. 2. 3.And though he so appear not now, yet we know he is present with his Church, and find it so by some good experience. In a word, one great cause why we are so little acquainted with the presence of God's Spirit, or those Heavenly Spirits, is because we are so little devoted to God; for what-ever Men think, there is a wonderful want of heavenly-mindedness, and a great appearance of earthly-mindedness in Professors generally; I am not ashamed to confess it, though I am greatly ashamed it should be so. O Let God arise, and let these Enemies (our carnal Affections) be scattered, Psal. 68. 1.
SECT. VI. Of the final Estate of Angels both Good and Bad.
After the Wise Creator of all things is pleased to permit wonderful Enormities and Revolutions in the World, through the malicious Enterprizes of the Devils or fallen Angels, yet he will certainly put a period to all these Impieties, (for Sin is not Eternal, only Righteousness endureth for ever): In order whereunto, he hath ordained an eternal Judgment to pass upon these wicked Spirits; And in that respect they are said to be cast down to Hell, and to be delivered in Chains under darkness, to be reserved unto Judgment, 2 Pet. 2. 4. Yea, so certain is this determination, that the Devils themselves do fear and tremble in expection of it, Jam. 2. 19. because they shall not only have a privation of the liberty they now enjoy, but shall suffer the Terrors of the Almighty: a taste whereof they seem to have had, when they cryed out, Mat. 8. 19. Art thou come to torment us before the time? For here they both acknowledg their present wretched Estate, and the certainty of their future Misery. And that which makes this Cup the more dreadful, is the eternal duration of it, denounced already by their Judg, Mat. 25. 41. Go ye Cursed into everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. And again, Rev. 20. 9, 10. where, as a just recompence of the rage of wicked Men, it is said, Fire came down from Heaven and devoured them: So also, the Devil that deceived them, was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where the Beast and the false Prophet are said to be tormented day and night, for ever and ever. Rev. 20. 10.Thus shall the Omnipotent God subdue all the Powers of Wickedness, for he alone is God that made Heaven and Earth, the Seas and Fountains of Water; doing therefore in all places whatsoever he pleaseth; and shall now make his Saints to judg those Infernal Spirits, 1 Cor. 6. 3. by whose instigation they had been so often judged in this World. And that which must needs aggravate their misery, shall be the sence of their first Estate which they fell from: together with this, That they shall sustain this confusion in the presence of the Holy Angels, and of the Lamb, Rev. 14. 10, 11. who now shall have them in derision, by filling their Cup of the Wine of the Wrath of God, by the eternity of their Misery; for the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever. Lo here is the final state of Apostate Angels.
But on the other hand, The Glory of the Holy Angels shall be so great, as it is not easie to conceive it: Howbeit this we know, That as they have desired to look into the great Mysteries of the Gospel, 1 Pet. 1. 12. and have held with the Saints in those things which are written in the Scriptures of Truth, Dan. 10. 21. so they shall not partake of the fruition or fulness of their Joy, till they gather in the great Harvest of the Saints, whom they have ministred to in this World: for seeing they so greatly rejoyce in the conversion of one Sinner now, what will their rejoycing be when they meet all these Converted Ones in the heavenly Dwelling-places? Seeing now they shall no more be provoked by the sins, either of Sodomites, Gen. 19. 9, to 15. nor with the weaknesses of those who were put under their Guardian-ship, to be Heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. ult. Nor need we be curious in searching out what this Glory shall be, so much as how to get a clear Interest therein; being abundantly ascertained, that then we shall find, Fulness of Joy and Pleasures for ever more, Psal. 16. 11. And though it do not appear what we shall be, yet we are assured we shall be like Christ, for we shall see him as he is: And in that glorious Estate 'tis also said, We shall be as the Angels of God in Heaven. And thence it follows, that the Glory of the Holy Saints and Angels shall be wonderful. Let us wait and pray for the manifestation of this Glory.