Body of Divinity, Book 3 · Chapter 7

Body of Divinity · Book 3 · Chapter 7

p. 268CHAP. VII. Of the Angels good and bad.

AMong the works of Creation, the principal are the reasonable Creatures, AngelsAngelorum nomen Graecum est foreign enim est nuncius foreign nunciare Graecum nomen Angeli, Europaeae gentes ferè retinent, nisi quod id inflectart ad terminationem suam & Galli id foreign dicunt ange, Germani a in … mutato engel. Martinius de Creatione. Angeli ex ministerio quod regi suo praebent, nuncupantur. Ludov. Viv. de verit. Fid. Christ. l. …. c. 14. That there are Angels. Omnes apparitiones veteris testamenti ad illam apparitionem ordinatae fuerunt, qua filius Dei apparuit in carne. Aquin. part. 1. quaest. 2. art. 2. and Men.

The Name Angell comes of the Greek foreign, which signifies a Messenger, sent forth from some superiour person or State to deliver a message, and to declare the minde of him or them that sent him. The Hebrew name foreign which is the name of an Angell in the Old Testament, signifies also a Messenger; but yet in a more full and large sense: for it signifies such a Messenger as doth not only deliver and declare a Message by word of mouth, but also doth act and execute indeed the will of him that sent him, and doth perform his work enjoyned as a faithfull Minister and servant.

First of all, It signifieth that chief and principall Messenger and Embassadour of God, his Sonne Jesus Christ, who is called Malachy 3. 1. The Angell of the Covenant.

Secondly, Pastors are called Angels, Rev. 2. and 3. Ch. being Gods Messenger sent to the Church.

Thirdly. This word is most frequently used to signifie the heavenly Spirits, who are so called, because they are both ready to be sent on Gods message, and often are sent out to do the will of God, Gen. 19. 1. Psa. 103. 20. 21. Mat. 18. 10.

That there are Angels is proved out of Scripture. where they are often mentioned, Psa. 68. 17. Dan. 7. 10. Col. 1. 16. and 2, 10. Heb. 12. 12. and by the manifold apparitions of them, Gen. 3. 24. Cherubims, that is, Angels, appearing in the form of flying men to keep the entrance into the Garden. Abraham entertained Angels unawares. They were sent to destroy the filthy Sodomites, and the Cities about them that ra… into the like exorbitancies. An Angel stopped Abrahams hand which he lifted up according to Gods Commandment to slay his only son Isaac. aaEsse Angelos vel h…c l…quet, quòd sint in rerum natur… quae nullis possint adscri…i causis Physicis, unde necesse est Spiritus esse unde illa proficiscantur. Tum etiam videtur ipse ordo universi id requirere ut sint Angeli, nempe certum est naturam esse corpoream, & certum …em est mediam esse naturam, quae nempe partim corporea, partim incorporea sit; consequens igitur est … sit natura quemadmodum m…re corporea, sic etiam merè incorporea. Scriptura vero …on probat esse Angelos, quemadmodum neque probat ammam …sse immortalem, sed hoc sumit. Cameron …om. 2. Praelect.Abraham told Eleazar that God would send his Angel with him to prosper him in the businesse of taking a wi…e for his son Isaac. An Angel of the Lord met Hagar and sent her back to her Mistresse, when through discontent she had plaid the Fugitive. An Angal appeared to Zachary and foretold the conception and birth of Iohn the Baptist. An Angel acquainted the blessed Virgin that she should conceive our Saviour in her womb by the over▪shadowing of the Holy Ghost. A multitude of Angels celebrated the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour with an hymn of joy. Angels ministred to Christ after his temptation in the wildernesse, and in his bloudy agony in the Garden. An Angel also set Peter at liberty when he was imprisoned between two souldiers. An Angell shook the foundation of the Prison wherein S^t Paul and Si…as were laid fast in the stocks, An Angell shewed unto Iohn the vision of the Revelation at the appointment of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now besides these and many more apparitions of the heavenly Spirits, we reade that the Angels of God are many thousands, yea millions, and of the company of innumerable Angels, and of Angels pitching their tents about p. 269the righteous, and holding them up in their hands, and chasing the wicked and destroying them.

And besides the testimony of Scriptures, the Heathens also had some notionsThe Peripaterick call them Immaterial substances, Intel…igences, abstracted and separated forms. The Angels are material. 1. They are perfect effects, therefore must have all the four causes. 2. Finite, therfore terminated in their essence: nothing terminates things but matter & form. Barlow in Hierons last farewell. Zanchy & others hold otherwise. of them, as appears in their writings▪ but indeed it was in some respect a false notion; for they conceived them to be a certain kinde of petty Gods, and did perform worship unto them, the evil angels beguiling them: and if there be evil angels, there must needs be likewise good.

The Angels are diversly called in Scripture: Spirits, Psal. 104. 4. to express their nature; and Angels to express their Office, as Messengers sent from God: They are called Sons of God, Job 1. 6. & 38▪ 7. Yea Elohim, Gods, Psal. 8. Cherubims, Gen. 3. 24. Ezek. 10. 1. from the form they appeared in, viz. like youths. Caph is a particle of similitude, and Rabiah signifies a young man in Chaldee, witness R. David. But Ludov. de Dien in his Animadversions upon Mr. Medes Clavis Apocalyptica saith, Hoc est puerile & frivolum. Seraphim, Isa. 6. 2. Burning quasi accensi ardore justitiae divinae, they execute those things which God commands when he sits in the Throne of his justice, and according to it judgeth mankinde. Not from their burning love toward God, as some imagine. Watchmen, or the watchfull ones, Dan. 4. 10. 13. being in heaven as a watch-tower, and keeping the world. Starres of the morning▪ Job 38. 7. from their brightness of nature. A flaming fire, Psal. 104. 4. because God useth their help to destroy the wicked.

In the New Testament they are called Principalities for their excellency of nature and estate; and bbCol. 1. 16. & 2. 10.Col 1:16Col 2:10Powers for their wonderfull force.

Reasons why God made Angels.

The will and power of God, therefore they are, because God saw it fit to make them, yet two reasons may be rendred of this work.

1. God saw it …it to raise up our thoughts from meaner to more excellent ccAngels are a mean betwixt God and man, as man was betwixt the Angels and the beasts.creatures, till we came to him: First, things (say some) were made which had no life; then living things without fense, as plants and trees, then sensible, then reasonable.

2. It was convenient that every part and place of the world should be fill'd with inhabitants fit for the same, as the air with birds, the earth with beasts and men, the sea with fishes, and the heavens which we behold with stars, and the highest Heavens with Angels.

God is the maker of Angels. These glorious Creatures which shall have no end,God made the Angels, Psal. 104. 4. Solus Deus est ens per suam essentiam, omnia verò alia sunt entia per participationem; omne autem quod est per participationem causatur ab eo quod est per essentiam▪ sicut omne ignitum causatur ab igue: Unde necesse est Angelos esse cr…tos. Aquin. part▪ 1. … Quaest. 61. Artic. 1. Qui apti essent ad generandum, eos non oporteb…t condi universos pariter, nam super…iua fuisset generandi facultas attributa. Angeli, quibus gignere datum non erat, uno sunt vel…t partu editi. Lud. Viv. de veritate fidei Christ▪ l. 1. c. 16.Ps 104:4 had a beginning as well as the silliest beast, bird, or fish, and they are equally beholding (nay more, because they have received more excellent endowments) unto God for their Being, with the silliest worm. And though Moses mentions not in particular either the act of creating them, or the time; yet S^t Paul saith, that By him were all things made, visible and invisible: and it is evident by discourse of reason, that the Angels were made by God. That is too bold an assertion of Mr. Hobbes his in his Leviathan, part 3. c. 34▪ Concerning the creation of Angels there is nothing delivered in the Scriptures: See more there. What can be meant but the Angels by Thrones, and the words following, Col. 1. 16. Vide Grotium in loc. For either they must be made by God or some other maker, or else they must be eternal; for whatsoever is not made by some maker, cannot be made at all; and whatsoever is not at all made, is eternal. Now if the Angels were eternal, then were they equal with God in self-being, they might be called self-subsisting essences, and so should be equal with God, standing in no more need of him then he of them, owing no more service, homage and praise to him, then he oweth to them, and so they were Gods as well as he; and then we should have multitude of Gods, not only one God, and so should not God be the first and best Essence, there being so many others beside him, as Good and Omniscient as he; wherefore they must be made by some Maker, because they cannot be Eternal: and if made, then either by themselves or some other thing besides themselves, not by themselves, because that implies an absolute contradiction: and if by some other thing, then by a better or worse thing, not by a more mean, for the lesse perfect cannot give being to a more perfect thing, for then it should communicate more to the effect p. 270then it hath in it self any way, which is impossible that any efficient cause should do, not by any better thing then themselves, for excepting the Divine Majesty which is the first and best, there is no better thing then the Angels, save the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, which could not be the Maker of them, because they were created some thousands of years before the humanity was formed in the Virgins womb, or united to the second person in Trinity.

We are not able to conceive of their Essence, they are simple, incorporeal, SpiritualTheir nature. substances, therefore incorruptible.

An Angel is a Spiritual, created, compleat substance, indued with an understandingAn Angel defined. Wendelinus. and will, and excellent power of working.

An Angel is a substance.

1. Spiritual, that is, void of all corporeal and sensible matter, whence in Scripture, Angels are called Spirits ddThey are spirits, Heb. 1. 14. Glorious spirits, Heb. 9▪ 5. Heavenly Spirits, Matth. 24. 36. Immortal Spirits …u 26. 36. For their nature or substane they are called Spirits, for their property o… quality glorious, for their place or abode heavenly, for their continuance immortall.Heb 1:14Heb 9:5Matt 24:36, Psal. 104. 4. Heb. 1. 14. Therefore the bodies in which either good or evil Angels appeared, were not natural to them, but only assumed for a time, and laid by when they pleased, as a man doth his garments; not substantial, but aerial bodies: they were not Essentially or personally, but only locally united to them, so that the body was moved, but not quickned by them.

The Hebrew, Greek and Latine words for Spirit, signifie breath; there is no more subtill being that we are acquainted with then breath, being condensed by the cold indeed it may be seen.

The Angels good and bad are Spirits, because 1. They are immaterial and incorporeal. 2. Invisible, 1 Tim. 1. 16. That was a foolish fancy of the disciples, Luke 24. 37. If Christ had been a Spirit he could not have been seen. 3. Impalpable, Luke 24. 37. compared with vers. 39. 4. Incorruptible and immortal, they end not of themselves, and no creature can destroy them. God alone hath immortality, 1 Tim. 6. 16. Origine in himself, so as to communicate it to others. 5. They are intellectual beings, all understanding. 6. Their spirituality appears in the subtilty of their moving. It is a question whether they do transire ab extremo ad extremum, without going through the middle parts, yet they …ove like lightening. 7. In respect of their strength and power, there is a great deal o… …orce in a natural spirit extracted, Isa. 31. 3.

2. Created, By which name he is distinguished from the Creator, who is an infinite Spirit, Iohn 4. 24. Nihil de Deo & creaturis univocè dicitur.

3. Compleat, By which an Angel is distinguished from the reasonable soul of man, which also is a spiritual substance, but incompleat, because it is the essential part of man.

4. Indued with 1. An understanding, by which an Angel knoweth God and his works. 2. A will, by which he desireth or refuseth the things understood. 3. An excellent power of working, by which he effects what the will commands, this is great in them, Psalm 103. 20. See 2 Kings 19. 35.

The Angels are most excellent creatures, when the highest praise is given of any thing, it is taken from the excellency of Angels, Psal. eeThe bread of the mighty, or Angels food, not because they brought it, but because it was most pleasant, so that should Angels need food, they could not feed on better. See Rivet & Willet on Exod. 16. Their faculties.Exod 1678. 25. 1 Cor. 13. 1. They are called holy Angels, Luke 9. 26. Mark 8. 36. therefore they are cloathed with linen, Dan. 11. 4. to signifie their purity, and are called Angels of light, 2 Cor. 12, 14. to note the purity wherein they were created. All the individual Angels were made at once; and as God made Adam perfect at the first, so they were made of a perfect constitution. They have all our faculties, save such as be badges of our weakness: They have no body, therefore not the faculties of generation, nutrition, augmentation. They have reason, conscience, will, can understand as much as we do and better too, they have a will, whereby they can refuse evil and chuse good, a conscience, reasonable affections, though not such as depend uponMatth. 28. 5.Matt 28:5 the body.

They are endowed with excellent abilities, know more of God, themselves, us, and other things then we do; love God, themselves and men, are obedient to God. The good Angels obey God.

1. Universally, in all things, Psalm 103. 20.

2. Freely and readily, make hast to do what he would have done, therefore they p. 271are said to have Harps, Revel. 15. 2▪ as a sign of their chearfull minde.

3. With all their might, They serve God with diligence and sedulity, therefore they are said to haveaaAngeli alas habere dicuntur propter velocitatem & celerem in cuncta discursum. Hieron. in Isa. 6. & vento alas quoque adfingunt ob candem causam. Drus. in Observ. Sac. l. 4. c. 19.Isa 6 wings to fly.

4. Constantly, Rev. 7. 15. & 14▪ 4.

They have incredible strength, and therefore by an excellency they are called Strong in strength, Psal. 103. 20. Angels of the power of the Lord Iesus, 2 Thes. 1. 7. Powers, Ephes. 3. 10. Col. 2. 10. One Angel is able to destroy all the men, beasts, birds, and fishes, and all the creatures in the world, and to overturn the whole course of nature if God should permit it; to drown the earth again, and make the waters overflow it; to pu… ▪ the Sun, Moon, and Starres out of their places, and make all a Chaos: Therefore we reade of wonderfull things done by them, they stopt the mouths of Lions that they could not touch Daniel; they quencht the violence of the fire that it could not touch so much as a hair of the three Childrens heads, nor a threed of their garments; they made Peters chains in an instant fall from his hands and feet; they can move and stir the earth (say the Schoolmen) as appears Matth. 28. 2. The Angels shook the foundation of the Prison where Paul and Silas lay, and caused the doors to fly open, and every mans bands to fall from him. They destroyed the first born of Aegypt, Sodom and Gomorrah. One Angel slew in one night in the host of Senacherib an hundred fourscore and five thousand men.

Reas. Their nature in respect of bodily things is wholly active not passive, they are of a spiritual nature, what great things can a whirl-winde or flash of lightning do?

They are swift and of great agility, they have no bodies, therefore fill not up any place, neither is there any resistance to them, they move with a most quick motion, they can be where they will, they move like the winde irresistibly and easily, without molestation, and in an unperceivable time; they move more swiftly then the Sun, can dispatch that space in as few minutes which the Sun doth in twenty four hours.

They have admirable wisdom, 1 Sam. 18. 14. & 14. 20. The knowledge of theActs 6. 15. Mark. 16. 32. The Angels have not only cognitionem concreatam & infusam, but acq…sitam say the Schoolmen.Acts 6:15Mark 16:32 good Angels is increased since their Creation; for besides their natural knowledge, they know many things by revelation, Dan. 9. 22, 23. Matth. 1. 20. Luke 1. 30. either immediatly from God or from his Word, Ephes. 3. 9, 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Luke 15. 18. by experience and conjecture, Ephes. 3. 10. So perfectly knowing are they, as that the very Heathen Philosophers have stiled them by the name of Intelligences, as if their very being were made up of understanding.

How an Angel doth understand is much disputed, their understanding is not infinite, they know not all things, Mar. 13. Of that day the Angels know not: Again, they cannot know future contingent things any further then God reveals these things to them, neither can they know the secrets of mans heart, 1 Kings 8. 39. Psal. 7. 10. for that is proper to the Lord alone.

They are said indeed to rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner, but that is no further then their inward conversion puts it self forth into outward actions.

They do not know the number of the Elect, nor the nature of spiritual desertions, the manner of mortifying sin, unless by the Church and Ministry of the word. So again, for the manner of their knowledge, That of the Schools about their morning and evening knowledge, is vain: but it is plain they know discursivè as well as intuitivè: though some say they are creaturae intelligentes, but not ratiocinantes.

There are three degrees of their knowledge (say the SchoolmenbbTum veteres patres, tum etiam Doctores Scholastici triplicèm cognitionem trib…nt Angelis, ex Patribus Augustinus triplicem in Angelis statuit rerum cognitionem: unam, qua res in verbo, in filio scilicet Dei vident, alteram qua …as cernunt in earum naturis: Tertiam, qua cas norunt in suis mentibus, Casmanni Angelographia.) 1. Naturall, which they had from the Creation, Iohn 8. 4. Some abode in the truth, others fell from it. 2. Revealed, 1 Pet. 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 10. The Greek word signifies to look into it narrowly. Piscaetor thinks it hath reference to the Cherubims who did turn their faces to the propitiatory which was a type of Christ. 3. Experimental, which they have by the observation of those things which are done among us, so they know the repentance of the godly, Luke 16. 10.

p. 2722. The will of Angels is to be considered: Will in the good Angels is that whereby they desire good things known, and forsake evil.

The Angels would never have sinned if they had not been voluntary, for althoughIsta necessitas quae scilicet ex suppositione sit optimè conspirat cum libertate. Deus mundum creavit liberè, & tamen supposito Dei decreto de mundo aute annorum millia condendo, necesse fuit ut Deus mundum crearet, non tamen ut crearet necessariò sed liberè. Sic proposito Dei decreto de non frangendis ossibus Christi, necesse fuit ut ab iis frangendis abstinerent milites Romani, non tamen ut abstincrent necessariò sed libere; nam proculdubio quàm libere fregerunt ossa latronum, tam libere abstiuebant à frangendis ossibus Christi. Twiss. contra Corv. c. 4. Sect. 11. Gratia non ausert libertatem arbitrii, licet vera & physica operatione determinet arbitrium, sed potius libertatem illi ad bonum restituit & confirmat. Dicimus enim determinare voluntatem ad bene agendum liberè. Id. ibid. the good Angels be now so confirmed in holiness, that they can will nothing but good, yet that hinders not liberty, no more then it doth in God or Christ himself; to be a free Agent is a perfection, to sin is a defect, and ariseth not from the liberty, but the mutability of the will.

3. Their motion and place. That they are in a place is plain by Scripture, which witnesseth that they are sometimes in heaven, and sometime on earth, as their service and office doth require.

They are not in a place as bodies are, they are not circumscribed by place: forThe terms definitivè & circumscriptivè being meer words, and on this occasion insignificant, passe only in Latine, that the vanity of them may be concealed. For the circumscription of a thing, is nothing else but the determination or defining of its place; and so both the terms of the distinction are the same. Hobbes his Leviathan, part 4. c. 46. But we must be content with those terms (for want of better) to distinguish between bodies and Angels being in a place: Though Sanford de descensu Christi ad inferos, l. 2. p. 108. cals it distinctionem nuperam, of a bodies being in a place circumscriptivè, the soul desinitivè, and God repletivè; and saith he dare affirm hujus acuminis prorsus nihil cognitum fuisse ante Scholasticorum tempora. a legion of devils was in one man, Luke 8. 30. They are so here, that they are not there, and therefore one Angel cannot be in many places, although many Angels may be in the same place, and they move not in an instant though they move speedily. They continue in the highest heavens, unless they be sent thence by the Lord to do something appointed by him: where being freed from all distractions and humane necessities, they behold the glorious presence of God, their understanding and will being pitcht upon him. Mat. 18. 10. & 22. 30. Ps. 68. 1. Luk. 2. 13.

4. Their society and communion: for it cannot be conceived that these gloriousIsa. 6. They cry one to another, Holy, holy, holy. Vide Aquin. part. 1. Q. 107. Art. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Mighty Princes are attended with many followers. See Job 25. 3. Numerus lapsorum in Scriptura non est desinitus. Quod Scholastici cum Thoma definiunt ex, 2 Reg. 6. 16. plures Angelos permansisse in gratia, quàm peccasse, parum soliditatis habet. Voet. Disput. de natura Damon.Isa 6Job 25:32 Kgs 6:16 Spirits should not signifie to one another their meaning: but how this should be, it is hard to determine; they say that the Angels make known their mindes to one another by their meer will.

5. Their multitude and order. That there are many Angels appears, Dan. 7. 10. and Heb. 12. 22. an innumerable company of Angels, Rev. 5. 11. Matth. 26. 23. that is, seventy two thousand, as Ierom computes it.

The Fathers generally thought that the number of the Angels which fell, should be made up by the Elect Saints: Some think that Heb. 12. 27. seems to speak little lesse.

Some say the good Angels exceed the number of the wicked Angels, by how much evil men exceed the good; the greatest number of evil Angels that we reade of is but Legion, the good very many, as those places in Daniel, Mattthew, Hebrews, and Revel. 5. 11. will shew.

As for their order, the Apostle indeed, Colos. 1. sheweth that there is an order among them, so that one may be above another in dignity, but not in power andThere are degrees of them, Col. 1. 16. Rom. 8. 32. 1 Thes. 4. 16. Some are named Angels, some Arch-angels, 1 Thes. 4.Col 1:16Rom 8:321 Thess 4:161 Thess 4 command: Hence they are called an host, which word signifieth chiefly what hath a compleat order.

Dionysius Areopagita makes nine ccThat ancient and high soaring (though counterfeit) Dionysius describes the Hierarchy of Angels, as exactly as if he had dwelt amongst them▪ delivering unto us nine orders of them▪ out of nine words, found partly in the Old, partly in the New Testament, and tels us the several natures, distinctions and properties of them all. Master Mede on Zach. 4. 16. See more there. He that was rapt into the third heaven can tell us of Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Angels and Archangels, in that region of blessedness. We cannot be so simple as to think these to be but one classe of spirits, doubtlesse they are distinctions of divers orders; but what their several ranks, offices, employments are, he were not more that could tell, then he bold that dare speak. I do verily beleeve there are divers orders of celestial Spirits▪ I beleeve they are not to be beleeved that dare to determine them; especially when I see him that was rapt into the third heaven, varying the order of their places in his several mentions of them. Compare Ephes. 1. …1. with Col. 1. 16. B. Halls Invis. world. l. 1. Sect 7.Zech 4:16Eph 1:1Col 1:16orders of Angels, and distinguisheth them into threes. The first containing Cherubims, Seraphims, Thrones. The second Dominions, Armies and Powers. The third, Principalities, Arch-angels and Angels. Much more modest is Augustin: Qui fatetur se rationem hujus distinctioni… p. 273ignorare. cont. Priscil. c. 11, &c. 57. Enchirid ad Lau. See Doctor Prideaux on Mat. 18. 10. for their Nature, Properties, Order and Ministry.

The Papists say there are different degrees of Angels, and that this is founded in their nature. The Protestants say that this difference lies not in natura Angelica, but in Officio, as they are drawn forth to more eminent imployment.

The Scripture makes mention only of two orders of Angels, Angels and Archangels, Heb. 1. 4. 1 Thes. 4. 16. Seraphim is a common name unto all Angels: they are all described to be flames of fire, Psal. 104. 4. and all the Angels are Cherubims, as is evident by the Curtains of the Tabernacle which were set forth and garnished with Cherubims only, Exod. 26. 31. signifying the presence of the Angels in the Assembly of the Church, as the Apostle expounds it, 1 Cor. 11. 10.

It is evident (saith M^r Cartwright) that the Apostle, Col. 1. 16. heapeth up diversddCartwright on Ephes. 1. 21. in his Annotat. on the Rhem. Test. Quatuor iis vocabulis thronorum, dominationum, principatuura, & potestatum, Apostolus complexus est universam caelestem societatem. Quid inter se dictant quaetuor illa vocabula dicant qui possunt, si tamen possunt probare quae dicunt, Ego me ista ignorare confiteor. August. Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 58. Vide Aquin. part 1. Q. 118. Artic. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.Eph 1:21 words of one and the same signification, thereby the more effectually to set forth^d the supereminent power of our Saviour Christ above all.

6. The names of the Angels. The first and most common name is that of Angel, which name is common to the good and evil Angels, yet in a farre different sense. The evil spirits are seldome called so simply, though they be sometimes, to note the excellency of their original, because they fell from their blessed condition, 1 Cor. 6. 3. Iude 6.

The evil spirits are called Angels, the name which was first given them: Otherwise they are not absolutely called Angels, (that name being peculiar to the AngelsCameron tom. 2. Praelect. which stood) but angels of the devil and angels of Satan, viz. because they are sent by the devil their Prince.

Some as proper names are given to certain Angels, Michael, Dan. 10. 13. which is compounded of three Hebrew particles, Mi-ca-el, who is like or equal to the strong God? It signifieth the power of God, because by him God exercised his power: And Gabriel, Dan. 8. 16. & 9. 21. Luke 17. 19. that is, the glory of God, who executed the greatest Embassages in Gods name to men. Vide Sculteti exercitat. Evangel. l. 1. c. 9.

7. The Angels Ministry and service. Their service may be considered either in respect of God, the Church, or the enemies of the Church. Respecting God, and the Church, and the people of God, they have divers services.

The office of good Angels in respect of God:

1. They enjoy God and glory, eeThey are called Thrones (saith a School man) because they do attend on the Throne of God. They love themselves and one another, … the creatures, yet they love God above all. Angelus Deum p…quam se diligit. Aquinas▪ Their happiness consists in …sione & dilectione ….Matthew 18. 10. & 22. 30. This implieth their great purity and happinesse, and withall their Ministry: What God bids them do they are ready to do. They shall attend Christ when he comes to judgement.

2. They praise God and celebrate his Name, cleave inseparably unto him, and obey his Commandments, Isa. 6. Psalm. 103. 20, 21. & 104. 4. Dan. 7. 10. Iob 1. 6. they see the worth and excellency of God, that he deserves more praise then they can give.

3. They praise and worship Christ as the Head of the Church, Apoc. 5. 11, 12. Heb. 1. 6. Phil. 2. 10. also as his Ministers, Matth. 4. 11. Luke 22. 43. Matth. 28. 2. they stand alwaies ready to do him service, so in his agony an Angel comforted him.

p. 2742. Their service in respect of the Church and people of God.Heb. 1. 14. The Angels are next to Christ in ruling the visible world, and therefore called Shinan in the Hebrew, Dan. 10. 12. Next to the first; and Principalities and Powers in the Greek, Col. 1. 16. that is, chief Governours next to Christ in reference to all the creation beside. Lockier on Col. …. 16.Heb 1:14Dan 10:12Col 1:16

1. They are glad for the good which befals the Elect: So when Christ came into the world how glad were they, Luke 2. they cried Glory be to God on high: They rejoyce at their conversion, Luke 15. 10.

2. They reveal unto them the will of God, Dan. 8. 9. Rev. 1. 11.

3. They keep the Elect from dangers both of soul and body, so farre as is expedient,Psalm. 68. 17.Ps 68:17 Gen. 19. 16. & 28. 12. & 25. 7. & 32. 1. 2. Psal. 34. 7. & 91. 11. Numb. 22. 1 King. 19. 7. 2 King. 6. 16. & 8, 9, 10. Both in the curtains of the Tabernacle, Exod. 26. 1. and the wall of the Temple Cherubims were painted up and down, to signifie (as judicious Divines think) what protection the people of God have inExod. 34. 24.Exod 34:24 serving him.

4. They comfort them in distress, heaviness and distraction, Gen. 20. 17, 18. &Gen. 10. 9. Matth. 4. 10.Gen 10:9Matt 4:10 3…. 1, 2. Isa. 6. 6. Luke 1. 30. & 2. 10. Matth. 28. 5. Acts 10. 4. & 27. 23, 24. Iudges 6. 12. & 13. 10. Dan. 10. 12. Matth. 1. 20. & 2. 12, 13.

5. They suggest holy thoughts into their hearts, as the devil doth evil and uncleanJoh. 13. Act. 5.John 13Acts 5 thoughts: Resist Satan, as in Iude.

6. They carry the souls of the Elect into heaven at the end of this life, Luk. 16. 22.They are present at our Assemblies, Eph. 1. mysteries are made known to them, and the woman must be covered because of the Angels.Eph 1 And at the day of judgement they shall gather the Elect from the four windes, and separate between the Elect and reprobate, Matth. 24. 31. & 13. 27.

3. Their services against the wicked **An Angel defeated Scnacheribs army. Revel. 16.Rev 16and all the enemies of the Church.

They are ready to execute vengeance upon the enemies of Gods people, Isa. 37. 36. An Angel smote bloudy persecuting H…rod, Acts 12. At the last day the Angels shall hurry the wicked to Christs Tribunal, and cast the reprobate into hell, Matth. 13 40, 41, 42, 49, 50.

8. The speech of Angels.

Angels and devils communicate with God, and one with another; not by speeches, aaM…. Bayly on Zach. 3. 1. p. 43. See Doctor Preston on Prayer.Zech 3:1for language requires bodily instruments, which these Spirits want: but as they apprehend every object without senses, so they express it without language in a secret way.

We come now to some profitable questions about the Angels.

The first is this, If the Angels be so beneficiall to us, whether may they not be prayed unto?

The ground and cause which brought in praying …o Angels, is laid down Col. 2. 18.Origenes Angelos docet invo…andos cer…amque inv…uionis formulam pras…ribit. Homil. in Eze…h. Erant ex Iudaei…, qui cum docerent legem, Angelos colendos asserent, quippe qui d…cerent legem per A…gelos esse traditam. Apostolus ad Col…ssenses sccundo reprehendit …orum impictatem, Rainold. de lib. Apoc. Christiani veteres, & seorsim, & juncta, & prose singuli, & alii pro aliis, Deum precabantur; mutuò etiam, ut id sier…t, rogabant; verùm quem pr…sentem nescirent, srve Angelus, sive anima for…t defuncti, minimè invocabant: quia de cujus praesentia non constaret, cu… cum sidu…ia auditionis, ut de extuditione nihil dream, minimè invocare auderent: praesertim cùm cjus rei in Scripturis nec prae…ptum haberent ne… ex…mplum. Vossius de Orig. & Progres. dol. l. 1. part… altera c. 9. Vide plura ibid. where you have a general prohibition of religious worshipping of Angels, with the cause of it.

There are three causes why they attempted this.

1. They entred into things which they did not know, as the Papists, How can they tell whether the Angels pray for us, whether they know our wants?

2. They follow their carnal minde, because they see in the world that to great Magistrates we use Mediators and Intercessors, they dare not go of themselves, so here.

3. Humility, For this they talk as Papists do now, We are unworthy to go directly to God, and therefore we need the help of Angels: but this is vain, for Christ is nearer to us then Angels are, Ephes. 3. 12. Tutius & jucundius loquar ad Iesum, quam ad aliquem sanctorum.

We say that all lawfull and moderate reverence is to be given to Angels, which consists in these particulars.

1. We acknowledge the great gifts of God in them, and praise God for them. We confesse it is his mercy that he hath made such noble creatures to be serviceable p. 275to us, and then for themselves in our judgements.

1. We honour them and judge them more noble creatures then man, they have greater wisdom, holiness and power then man hath.

2. For our will and affections, we love them because they love us and delight in our good, being ready to help us every where.

3. We should be carefull of our carriage because of their presence, we should not sin because of the Angels.

4. We desire to make them examples of our lives, that we may do Gods will as they do.

5. If Angels should appear visibly to us, we should honour them as more excellent creatures, but yet still keep within the bounds of civil or sraternal honour bbCultus sratern… soci…tatis.as to our fellow servants; but yet above us, and not honour them with Religious worship.

The Papists ccRhem. Ann…. in Apoc. 19. S… Mr. Car…w. Rej…ynd. to the Marqu…sse o… Worc…ster, p. 256, 257, 258, 259, 260. There were a sort of Hereticks called Angelici, who professing true Christianity and detestation of Idolatry, (as having learned that God only is to be worshipped properly) yet reserved a certain kinde of adora…ion to the blessed Angels. Ang…lici vocati quia Angelos colunt. I sid Orig. in l. 8. c. 5.Rev 19say a Religious worship is due unto them, but (yet that we may do them no wrong) not indeed such as is due to God, but secondary; yet still Religious; and so they say they intercede …or us, not as Christ, but in an inferiour way: and in this sense they hold they may be worshipped and praied unto.

Now we will refute their arguments, and then confirm the truth with strong reasons.

For the first, All law…ull reverence is commanded by the sust Table, and that is Religious; or else by the second, and that is civil: But that manner and degree of their worship is required in neither, Therefore it is meerly invented.

Secondly, By general consent, Religious worship is that whereby we do acknowledge God to be the primum principium, the ultimum finem, and summum bonum, now this is but one: and we may as well say there is a summum bonum secundariò, as there is a secondary Religious worship.

Thirdly, There is the same reason of a Religious worship, as there is of a Divine act of faith, love and hope: but if a man should say, We may with a Divine faith beleeve in God primarily, and Angels secondarily, it were ridiculous, therefore here if Religious worship were due because of supernatural excellencies, then every godly man were religiously to be worshipped.

Our arguments in generall against this are these.

1. Matth. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Heb. 1. it is applied to Christ.

2. The promise is to those only which call upon him, Psal. 51. 15 Call upon me.

3. It cannot be of faith, for how shall I know whether they hear me, whether they be present?

4. Colos. 2. 8. It is condemned for will-worship, so that Idolatry is here committed, that kinde of it Quando divinè colitur id quod non est verus D…us. Iohn was reproved for this, Rev. 19. 10. & 22. 9. Now Iohn might have distinguished, I do not worship you religiously, as God, but in the second place.

The second question is, Whether every man hath his peculiar Angel?

This is not a question of faith, but yet the more to be suspected, because it wasScriptura piis tantum Angel…rum custod…m & ministerium attribuit, Psal. 148. 2. Heb. 1. 14. impiis non item. Imò plures Angelos indefinitè circ… p…os excubar… docet, non umum, Psal. 34. 8. Spanhemius. Matth. 18. 10. Undeconcludunt tum Patres tum …cholastici, singulis pueris, atque adultis etiam certos Angelos esse attributos. Sic interpretati sunt bunc locum Chrysostomus, Angustinus, Hieronymus & alii, Casm…nnus. It is greater both Dignity and benefit, that every one of the faithfull have many Angels appointed by the Lord for his guard, whereof the proof is manifest, Psal. 34. 7. & 9. 12. an host of Angels pitch th…ir Ten…s round about them. As many reprobate Angels seek the destruction of one only man, Mark 5. 9. & 12 45. so the Lord encount…eth them by a number of his elect Angels Cartwright.Ps 148:2Heb 1:14Ps 34:8Matt 18:10Ps 34:7Ps 9:12Mark 5:9Mark 12:45 generally held among the Heathens, who did ascribe to every man born a bad angel to afflict, and a good one to defend him: a good and ill Genius as they called them. Becanus brings places of Scripture to prove it, but there is altogether silence in the Scripture concerning it: for when the Angels are charged to have care over us, it implieth that it is all their care. The chiefest place which most seems to favour that opinion, is Act. 12. 15. where they said that it was his Angel: Now to this some answer, that the men spake according to the opinion of men then generally received, and not according to the truth, as we may give an instance concerning the blinde man, when they asked Whether he or his parents had sinned, p. 276that he should be born blinde: How could he sin before he was born? but some answer, that there was an opinion generally received, which all the Platonists held (and so Origen and many of the Ancients) that the soul was created before it was put into the body; and as it did good or ill it was put into a well▪tempered or a maimed body: Especially they thought these Angels did appear a little before or after mens death.

Calvin thinks that it was an Angel peculiarly destinated to Peter for that timeMagister sent▪ a…t, unum quem que habere ad sui custodiam unum bonum Angelum, & unum malum ad exer…itium. I…st quidem antiqua ista sententia, verum hanc sententiam Scripture non tradunt; manavit hic error ex somniis Rabbinorum Rainold. de lib. Apoc. Luke 7. 24. that is, some Angel which God hath sent for his deliverance. Mr. Dering on Heb. 1. ult. See Mr. Cartw. Rejoynd. to the Marq. of Worcester, p. 251, 252, 253. Singulis hominibus singuli Angeli ad custodiam deputantur, quia Angelorum custodia est quaedam executio divine providentiae circa homines. Aquinas part. 1. Quaest. 113. Artic. 2. Vide etiam Artic. 5.Luke 7:24Heb 1 of his imprisonment. If it were a peculiar Angel, then it would follow, that he spake and had the same gestures that men have to whom they belong. Therefore it may well be rendred it is his messenger, as the word is elsewhere translated. But you will say then, they thought the messenger spake like him; No, but it might fall out, that they thought Rhode did mistake: and when he said, I am Peter, they might think he said I am come from Peter, and so it may be answered. If every man have one Angel, why did more then one carry Lazarus his soul to heaven, And he hath given his Angels charge over thee, that is, many over one particular man Cameron tom. 2. Praelect. Vide Rainold. de lib. Apoc. tom. 1. cap. 61. & Voet. Th…s. de Angelis.

The third question, What is the meaning of that, Let her be covered because of the 1 Cor. 11. 10. foreign. See the last large Annotations. … might be a mistake of the …anscribers to …uble the foreign, for if it were read foreign, and the sense be, Women in publike Assemblies must wear a vail, by reason of the companies of the young men there present; it would be no ill exchange for the losse of a letter, to make so probable, so clear a sense of the place. Dr. Taylor's liberty of Prophesying, Sect. 3. Tertullianus de velandis virginibus, c. 7. mulier…s velandas ait propter Angelos▪ ne ipsarum forma illecebra illis sit ad libidinem. Fuit e…im veterum quorundam ea absurdissima sententia, viz. Angelos amore mulierum corruptos caelo occi…isse. Vide Tertull. de Habitu muli…bri, c. 2. Justin Martyr Orat. ad Gentes. Lactant. Institut. l. 2. c. 15. ortus hujus erroris est ex Gen. 6. 2. Viderunt filii Dei filias hominum & ingr…ssi sunt ad cos, ubi per silios Dei intelligebant Angelos. Vide August. de Civitate Dei, l. 15. c. 23. Cyril contra Ju…an. l▪ 9. ^• Unicus, quod sciam, ex veteribus Ambrosius, & ex nostris unicus Beza, Angelos exponunt, Sacerdotes, s…u pastores Ecclesie, Rectissime omnes alii, tum veteres, tum recentes, intelligunt ipsos Angelos, eosque bonos ac sanctos. Laurentius. Mal. 2. 7. Revel. 1. 20. ^• Beza in loc. Ministers (saith Laurentius) are not any where in the Scripture called Angels absolutely, but alwaies with addition.1 Cor 11:10Gen 6:2Mal 2:7Rev 1:20Angels? Where the Apostle commands a woman in publike duties to have power, that is, covering, in sign of her subjection to God, and that because of the Angels. Some understand this properly of the Angels the heavenly Spirits, but differently, some because they are present at our Assemblies: and if you ask What need that, seeing God and Christ are there? they answer, That he mentioned God and Christ before, and now addeth these as inseparable servants which are sent for the salvation of beleevers: Others as probably make it a new argument from the Angels, Isa. 6. as they covered their feet before God to shew their subjection, so should these.

Others understand it of the Ministers ^dwho are called Angels, because they are the Messengers of God, and so they compare this place with that, Eccles. 5. 6. Before the Angele, there is He notificative, by which is signified the high Priest, before whom vows were made, Levit. 27. 8. Some interpret it generally of all good men, for we ought to be as so many Angels.

The fourth is, What is the meaning of those places, Acts 7. 53. & Gal. 3. 19.J…nius negat dari per Angelos sel foreign idem, inter Angelos. Vide Grotium & Aquin. part. 1, 2. Quast. 98. Art 3. Jun. Paral. l. …. par. 92. Ipse Deus locatus est immediatè ad Mosem praesentibus ac testibus Angelis, Laurentius. See Willet on Exod. 19. 37. …u▪ …st. Ordination is put for Ministration. ^• Mr. Palm…r and Mr. Caudery of the Christian Sabhath, part. 1▪ c. 4.Exod 19:37 …earned Iunius renders the words, Acts 7. 53. You have received the law in the midst of the ranks of Angels, viz. who ^f accompanied God their Sovereign Lord when himself came to deliver the Law. The same answer may be made, as it is by the same Learned Writer (among Angels) they attending God when he ordained and delivered it. It seems improper that Angels in the plural number ^g should have been imployed in speaking of the Law: For without extraordinary guidance of God many speakers at once would have bred confusion of sounds, and by an extraordinary guidance one would have sufficed. There is no necessity to ascribe p. 277the delivery of the Law of the Decalogue to hhGrotius & Rivet & D. Whits say, God spake not immediatly but by an Angel. See Psal. 78. 49.Ps 78:49Angels, Exod. 20. there is not so much as a word of the Angels in the whole matter. The earthquake, thunder, lightening on mount Sina were raised by the Angels (saith Cameron) who can easily change the state of the elementary Region.

The fifth, What is the meaning of that story, Iude v. 9. Michael striving with the devil: The Apostle aggravates the sins of those who speak evil of Dignities, by an argument from the greater to the lesse, the Archangel durst not do so, where you have the chief cause, Michael, which is as much as who is like God, and thenDan. 10. 13.Dan 10:13 you have the adjunct, he is the Archangel, that is, a chief among the Angels, therefore it cannot be meant, say some, of iiCartwright on the Rhem. Test. interprets it of Christ. See M. Perkins on Iude. Michael apud Patres & Rabbinos est è numero Angelorum; apud magos, Daemonum: In Scriptur â verò arbitror esse ipsum Iesum, Dominum nostrum; idque satis patere mihi videtur, tum ex nomine ipso, cùm ex iis quae de eo reseruntur. Primum enim nihil apud Hebraeos vox haec sonat plusquàm, quis sicut Deus? Atqui non est verisimile, ut nomen hoc tribuatur alii, quam illi, qui & ipse Deus est. Deinde Dan. 12. mentio sit hujus Michaelis, voc…urque Princeps magnus, qui stat à populo Dei contra perditos & impios Ecclesiae hostes. Huc accedunt ca quae reseruntur à Zacharia c. 3. unde Iudae verba sumpta esse videntur: ibi enim Angelus ille, qui causam agit Iosuae summi Pontificis, dicitur Iehovah, quod nomen, ut omnes sciunt, nulli Angelorum vel homini tribuitur, sed solius Dei est proprium. Croius in Conject.Dan 12Christ, because Christ is expresly distinguished from him, 1 Thes. 4. 6. Now what this dispute was, and where the Apostle had it, it is hard to say: but that there was such a thing done is plain. The matter of the strife was Moses dead on mount Nebo, Deut. 34. 6. which is added either by Samuel, Ioshua or Ezra: Some make this to be the body of Christ, and therefore called Moses his, because he prophesied of it: Very likely the dispute was that it should not be buried to occasion idolatry, the Archangel rails not on him, but leaves him to God. Now, Deut. 3. 44. where it is said the Lord buried him, that is to be understood by the means of the Archangel, and no man knew his burial, that divine honour might not be given him, and the devil might say how fit it was such a man should be solemnly buried.

The sixt, What is meant by the voice of an Angel, 1 Thes. 4. 15. where the ApostleApud Hebraeos, Graecos, & Latinos veteres populus convocabatur classic…. Ad id exemplum, cùm Deus homines convocat, dicitur id facer… per tubam, Psal. 47. 6. Isa. 27. 13. Jer. 4. 1. & 6. 1. & 51. 27. Os. 5. 8. Joel 2. 1. Zach. 9. 14. Idem in Apocalypsi, in omnibus Dei judiciis dantur Angelis tubae, quia vero hoc judicium omnium est ut postremum, ita maximum atque generalissimum, i…o… hic iuba datur, non Angelo, sed ali…ui Angelorum principi, qualis Michael Dan. 12. 1. Grotius in loc.Ps 47:6Isa 27:13Jer 4:1Jer 6:1Jer 51:27Joel 2:1Zech 9:14Dan 12:1 describes the great and glorious coming of Christ to judgement, from some circumstances which commend his power and Majesty; the Lord himself shall come down in his own person with a shout: foreign is that voice which marriners and souldiers use when they call one another to put to their strength, so that it is no more then a great command of God that all be ready, Matth. 25. like that, There was a voice, Behold the bridegroom comes, or like that, Ioh. 5. All that are in theeir graves shall hear his voice; So it shall be the instrument to raise them up as it was Lazarus; for this may be compared with Matth. 24. The voice and the trump of God are all one, that is a great noise expressed by this Metaphor, so that it should go to all in their graves.

The seventh, Whether they have any efficacie in our conversion. Though they be sent Heb. 1. for the salvation of those that beleeve, yet they have no efficacious power on the heart of man, for it is God only that can turn the heart; and therefore it is a wicked opinion of some, who give God no more efficacie in moving the heart to conversion, then good Angels have, which can be but by perswasion: It is true, in the Scriptures you may reade of their admonishing and comforting, so an Angel comforteth Elias, and Christ himself as he was man; Ioseph was admonished in a dream: but then you must know this was a sensible appearance or like it, viz. in dreams. But now you may reade of the devil tempting in Scripture Iudas and David without such a way: the change of our hearts is to be ascribed to God.

The eighth, Whether the Angels need Christ as a Mediator. Some say no, They never sinned and therefore need not a Mediator kkAngels are the best creatures, yet they are mutable creatures, they were created blessed (as the Schools determine). with a natural blessednesse, not with a supern…, which consists, in the vision of God, for then they had never fallen. The good Angels indeed have obtained by Christ a supernatural blessednesse, though he be not a Redeemer, yet he is a Confirmer, a Supporter of the holy Angels. In reference whereunto he is called The Head of all things, Eph. 1. 22. & 3. 15. Col. 1. 20. and that last place is not to be …estrained to men, but takes in all things both in heaven and earth. Mr. Caryl on …ob 4. …8. As Christ is to us medium reconciliationis, …o he is to …e Angels medium confirmationis & clevationis say the Schoolmen. Col. 2. 10. A Head notes eminentiam. In ordine naturae, as Christ was man he was below them, In ordine gratiae he was above them. …. Influxum. 3. Gu…ernationem.Eph 1:22Eph 3:15Col 1:20Col 2:10to reconcile them to God, 1 Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 2. 16. A mediator is where two parties do disagree. As for that place (say they) Ephes. 1. 22. He hath reconciled all things in heaven and earth: some do mean by those things in heaven, the souls of those departed; the Greek p. 278word signifieth briefly to recollect the things which were more largely spoken, and so a sweet consent of all things together: As by sin God was angry with us, so were the Angels, for they hated whom God hated; but by his death it is otherwise. But though Angels needed not such a reconciliation as supposeth a breach of peace, yet they needed such a one as consists in the continuance of that peace which they had before. The Lord hath now so fully revealed himself and his excellencies unto them, and his love and favour, and the necessity of their being obedient, that they cannot but continue to obey and serve him, they were not so far inlightened and sanctified at the first creation, but that then in respect of themselves there was a possibility of sinning as well as of those that did sin, but now they are so confirmed llIn bono confirmatio non tollit bonorum Angelorum liberum arbitrium. Bernardus triplicem ostendit è sacris literis libertatem, quarum unam vocat libertatem à peccato, 2 Cor. 3. 17. alteram vocat libertatem à miscria, Rom. 8. 20, 21. Tertiam appellat libertatem à necessitate, hoc est, à coactione; necessitas enim hic non opponitur voluntario, sed coactioni. Ca…mannus.2 Cor 3:17Rom 8:20Rom 8:21by the clear sight they have of God, that they cannot be willing to sin against him.

The Angels by Christ obtained, 1. A glorious Head: Men had a head at their creation, Adam. The Angels stood by vertue of their personall Covenant. 2. From his becoming their Head they are confirmed in grace; they were created perfect, but mutable, Iob 4. 18. 3. By Christ their nature was elevated above what it was in it self; Electio sive hominum sive Angelorum, extra Christum intelligi non potest. A…optati sunt in silios Dei propter Christum. 4. They have an honourable imployment, by this means they serve Christ in his humane nature.

The Angels which abode in the truth are called good Angels, not only in respectThe standing of the Angels and Saints in heaven consists in manuto…entia perpetui infiuxus b…ati…i…i, say the Schoolmen. Wheresoever the good Angels are (though imployed about the affairs of this lower world) yet do they still see and enjoy the vision of God, Bishop H…lls Invis. world, l. 2. Sect. 2. of the righteousnesse which God bestowed upon them at their creation, but also in respect of the obedience which they performed, and …eir confirmation in that good estate. The causes why they abode still in the tru… ▪ are the firm and unchangeable decree of God, 1 Tim. 5. 21. his free grace, Phil. 2. 13. wherewith they were holpen, and their own free choice of will cleaving f…rmly unto God.

The ninth and last question concerning Angels is, How can they be happy in enjoying Gods face, and yet be on the earth, Matth. 18. 10. By heaven there is not meant the place, but their heavenly estate and condition: Now though they go up and down doing service, yet this hinders not their happinesse, for they do not this with distraction: and these things are appointed as means for the end, viz. enjoying of God, and as the soul is not hindred in its happiness by desiring the body again, so it is here.

1. We should imitate the Angels.Con…ect…ries from Angels

2. It shews us how much we are beholding to Christ, no Angels could love us if it were not for him.

How much are we to love God who hath provided helps for man, especiallyLet us not by our ill carriage thrust away our guard. Christ who took our nature upon him, not that of Angels. Gods Angels are our Angels to defend and keep us. God hath committed the care of us to these ministring Spirits.

3. It shews the wofull condition of the impenitent, when Christ shall come withOne Angel would quickly destroy all the wicked if God should charge him to do it. all these Angels, when those great shouts shall be, Come thou swearer, drunkard, how terrible will this be?

The more potent God is in Himself and in his Ministers, the more wretched are they, and the surer is their destruction.

4. This confutes the Papists in three errours.

1. In that they hold nine orders of Angels, They are distinguished ratione objectorum & officiorum, in respect of the object and message they go about.

p. 2792. They would have them worshipped, but the Angel forbad Iohn.See Elton on Colos. 1. and Cameron on Act. 12.Col 1Acts 12

3. They say every one hath his good Angel to keep him, so Bucan thinks in his Common places.

2. The Saducees, who said there was neither Angel nor Spirit, Acts 24. 8. but held good Angels only to be good thoughts, and evil angels to be evil lusts and affections. Their names, offices, actions, apparitions shew plainly, that they are not bare qualities, but true substances.

It serves for instruction, 1. To see the blindness and erroneousness of mankinde,Objectant nobis Iudaei, quod Saducaei libros Mosaicos agnoscerent pro divinis, ubi saepius commemoratur, ut Angeli apparuerint. Verùm verisimile mihi sit Saducaeos eludere haec solitos: cujus ratio nunc gemina occurrit. Una est, ut per eas non aliud intellexerint, quàm qualitates à Deo product as in imaginatione ejus, quem de re aliqua velit edocere. Altera est, ut putarint Deum producere spiritus, quando eorum opera uti velit, post…a eos dest…uere, ac producere quidem separand… quiddam ab anima mundana, quod postea redeat in naturam generalem. Voss. de Orig. & progres. Idol. l. 1 part altera. c. 6. in that a great number of men of learning and wit and parts good enough, and that such as lived in the Church and acknowledged the five books of Moses to be divine, should yet make a shift to wink so hard, as to maintain that there were no Angels.

What falsehood may not the devil make a man entertain and defend, and yet seem not to deny the Authority of Scripture, if a man confessing Moses writings to be true, will yet deny that there be either Spirits or Angels, which are things so plainly revealed by Moses, that a man would account it impossible to receive his writings and not confess them? But if God leave man to the devil and his own wit, he will make him the verier fool because of his wit, and he will erre so much the more palpably, by how much he seems better armed against errour, even as a mans own weapon beaten to his head by a farre stronger arm, will make a deep wound in him.

See we our aptness to run into and maintain false opinions, mmSuperbi sunt nec noverunt Moysis sententiam, sed amant suam; non quia vera est, sed quia sua est. Aug. Confess. l. 12. c. 25.and let us not trust in our own wits, but suspect our selves, and seek to God for direction.

Secondly, Let us learn humility from this, and by comparing our selves with these excellent Spirits, learn to know how mean we be, that we may be also mean in our own esteem. So long as a man compares himself with those things and persons which are baser then himself, he is prone to lift up himself in his own conceit and to think highly of himself; but when he doth weigh himself in the balance with his betters he begins to know his own lightness. The Lord hath set us men in the midst, as it were, betwixt the bruit beasts and the celestial Spirirs, we do so far exceed them as the Angels exceed us; as for bodily gifts, the beasts in many things go beyond us, some are more strong, swift, have more excellent sight and smell then we, but in few things do we equal the Angels. They are swifter and stronger then we, and their excellent reason goes beyond ours in a manner, as the understanding which is in us excelleth the fancy of the beasts, they know a thousand things more then we do or can know, One Angel can do more then all men, can speak more languages, repeat more histories; in a word, can perform all acts of invention, and judgement, and memory farre beyond us.

Thirdly, Since God hath made Angels to serve and attend him, should not we that are far inferiour to them be content also to serve him, yea exceeding glad and thankful that he will vouchsafe to admit us into his service. Doth he need our service that is served with such Ministers and Messengers? Let us frame our selves to obedience, and do Gods will on earth with all readiness and cheerfulness, seeing there is so great store of more worthy persons in heaven that do it. An Angel will not esteem any work too difficult or base, why should we?

Fourthly, The Angels which wait about the throne of God are glorious, andThey have a glory which flows from their own obedience as they stood in integrity, and an additionall glory, as they have received a commission from Christ to be the Saints guardians, Heb. 1. 14. Some Angels fell from God, John 8. 44. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude 6.Heb 1:14John 8:442 Pet 2:4Jude 1:6 therefore the Lord himself must needs excell in glory, Isa. 6. 1, 2. Ezek. 1. 28.

Of the Devils or evil Angels.

The Angels which persisted in the truth, are called good Angels, Luke 9. 26. but those which revolted and kept not the law were called evil Angels, or evil p. 280spirits, angels of darknesse nnThere is but one word (Dajiva) in the Syriack for the raven, ink, and the devil, because commonly he appears to men in some black and terrible shape. Weemes., Luke 8. 20. & 19. 42. and Angels absolutely, 1 Cor. 6. because they were so created of the Lord. In respect of their nature they are called spirits, 1 King. 22. 21. Matth. 18. 16. Luke 10. 20. In respect of their fall they are called evil spirits, 1 Sam. 18. 10. Luke 8. 2. unclean spirits, Matth. 10. 1. Zach. 13. 2. not so much because of their instigation to lust, as because their natures are defiled with sin: Lying spirits, 1 King. 22. 22. Iohn 8. 44. Devils, Levit. 17. 7. 1 Cor. 10. 20.

The Hebrew names for the devil are 1. Satan an adversary, 2 Sam. 19. 32. of Satan to oppose and resist, 2 Pet. 2. 14. Belial, 2 Cor. 6. though some reade it Beliar unprofitable. He is likewise called Beelzebub, or Beelzebul, which word comes of Bagnal Dominus, a Lord or Master, and Zebub a fly, the Idol of the ooQuia civitatem Accaron invocatus à civibus, à muscis liberarat. Cornel. à Lap. They have figurative names likewise in the Scripture, as Lion, Scrpent, Dragon, the Accuser of the Brethren. It is written in the law of Mahomet, That God created the Angels of the light, and the devils of the flame. Dr. Stoughtons Happinesse of Peace.Achronites, because they thought these best of those pestiferous creatures, or else because the devils were apprehended as flying up and down in the air; but if it be read Z…bul, then it signifieth by way of contempt a Dunghill god, Levit. 17. 7. The devils are called Shegnirim the hairy ones, because they appeared to their worshippers like hairy goats and in the mountains.

The devil is called foreign from foreign to accuse, because he accuseth men toHe is called foreign the wicked one, Matth. 13. 19. which notes a special wickednesse. God is called by the Prophets in the Old Testament The holy One, because He is infinitely and altogether holy; so the devil because he hath the most wicked nature is called the wicked one. 1. They fell of themselves and made themselves wicked. 2. They persist in their wickedness, 1 Joh. 3. 8. 3. They labour to make others wicked like themselves, they are wicked subjective & effectivè.Matt 13:191 John 3:81 John 3:3 God and God to men, foreign from foreign scio, because they know much by creation and by experience.

The devil is called an enemy or the envious man, Matth. 13. 139. The tempter, Matth. 4. 3. 1 Thes. 3. 5. A destroyer, Apoc. 9. 11. The old serpent, Apoc. 12. 7, 9. A roaring lion, 1 Pet. 5. 8. The strong man armed, Matth. 12. 24. The prince of the world, three times, Iohn 12. 31. & 14. 30. & 16. 11. Nay The God of this world, 2 Cor. 4. 4.

2. Their nature.

The evil angels are spirits created at first entire and good, Genesis 1. ult. Vide Aquin. part. 1. Q. 11. Art. 4, 5. But by a willing and free apostacy from their Creator, are become enemies to God and man; and for this eternally tormented, Iohn 8. 44.

It was a totall, wilfull, malicious apostacy from God with spite and revenge: 1. Totall, because God never intended to offer to the Angels a second Covenant, Heb. 2. 16. 2. With despight and revenge; therein lies the formality of the devils sin, and of the sin against the holy Ghost, 1 Iohn 5. 19.

That they are spirits appears by the opposition, Ephes. 6. We wrestle not with flesh and bloud; and this is to be opposed to those that deny that there are any spirits, or that the devils are incorporeal.

For their sin, what, when, and how it was, it is hard to determine. That they did sin is plain, but the sin is not specified. Some say it was lust with women, misunderstanding that place, The sons of God saw the daughters of men, for it is plain the devils were fallen before. Chrysostome and our Divines ppVerisimile est ex superbia Daemones esse lapsos, quod Filium Dei contempserunt, & se ei voluerunt anteferre, Lutherus in primii cap. Gen. 26. Doctor Ames.Gen 26generally qqDownam. Mr. Ball.conclude it was pride, from that place in Timothy, 1 Tim. 3. 6. though there be different opinions about what this pride shewed it self, whether in affecting a higher degree then God rrMr. Caryl on Job 4. 18. Some bring that place, Isa. 4. 12. that is literally meant of the Assyrian King. It is probable the Devils sin was pride, seeing man was enticed to offend with an argument drawn from the promise of excellency, Gen. 3. 4, 5. Vide Voet. disputat. de natura & operationibus Daemonum. Diabolus volint se parificasse Deo is Peter Lombards expression. Austin saith the sin of the Angels was quod ab illo qui summè est▪ aversi, ad scipsos conversi sunt.Job 4:18Isa 4:12Gen 3:4Gen 3:5created them in, or refusing the work and office God set them about; which (some conceive) was the ministration or the guardianship of man, which trust they deserted or scorned. Zanchius thinketh their sin was, That they were not contented with the truth of the Gospel concerning Christ propounded to them p. 281at the beginning, and that they chose rather to leave their heavenly mansion, thenThe devil would not yield to this, that the second person of T… nity for the salvation of mankinde, should become flesh, and that in him the nature should be advanced above that of Angels. Bishop Down. of Justif. c. 1. Some say his sin was Envy, but that rather followed and was a kinde of punishment: Post peccatum superbiae consecutum est in Angelo peccante malum invidiae, secundùm quod de bonum hominis doluit, & etiam de excellentia divina. Aquinas parte 1▪ Q. 63. Art 2. He is called the envious man; he envied 1. That mankinde should be restored, when they were cast off. 2. That the nature of man should be taken into glorious union with the Son of God, and that thereby the image of God should be repaired. subscribe to the truth. An inordinate desire of power to be like God in omnipotency, say the Schoolmen. Pride seems to be the devils sin by his first temptation of man to be like God.

Concerning the time when the devil first sinned, it is uncertain, Tempus lapsus non definit Scriptura; It seemeth they continued in their integrity till the sixth day was past ssSome collect from Joh. 8. 44 that the devils fell the first day.John 8:44, Gen. 1. 31. It is likely that neither man nor Angel did fall before the eighth day, Gen. 2. 1, 2.

The devils stood not long, Iohn 8. He was a manslayer from the beginning: They fell before man, that is plain.

3. How the devil sinned, seeing his understanding and will were perfect.

It was initiatively in his understanding, and consummatively in his will. ManySee Mat. 25. 41. Rev. 12. 9. & 20. 2.Matt 25:41Rev 12:9Rev 20:2 of them fell, as appeareth Luke 8. 30. there was a legion in one man: one of the chiefest (as some conceive) fell first, and drew the rest with him by his perswasion and example. That one great Angel (now Beelzebub) did first fall, and then drew after him the rest, is likely enough. Capel of Tentat. part 1. c. 1.

It was in all likelihood some prime Angel of heaven that first started aside from his station, and led the ring of this highest and first revolt; Millions sided with him, and had their part both in his sin and punishment. B. Hals Invis. world. l. 3. Sect. 2. Vide Aquin. part. 1. Q. 63. Art. 8. Yet Voetius seems to doubt of this.

They fell irrecoverably ttHoc est Angelis casus, quod est Hominibus, mors. Damascen. Four things aggravate the devils first sin. 1. If we consider their nature, they were Spirits, spiritual substances, and so had the greater power and advantage against sin, they might more easily have kept themselves pure, because their natures were so simple, a great deal of the power of mans temptation rose f…m the flesh, the fruit was beautifull to look on and pleasant to the taste. 2. They sinned no… having any tempter or soliciter without; there was no tempter till they themselves became tempters, therefore they fell by the meer freeness of their will, every sin the more it hath of will in it the greater it is. 3. They were indued with a great deal of knowledge, and so sin…d against more light. 4. They were highly exalted above man in their creation. The Angels are not by propagation one from another, but were created all at once, so that of them some might fall and others stand, but men descend by generation from one stock or root, and therefore the first man falling and corrupting his nature, derived to all his posterity a sinfull nature.being obstinate in wickedness. The Schoolmen and Fathers give reasons why they fell so, and not man.

Aquinas gives this reason from the condition of an Angels will; whose nature is such (they say) that what it hath chosen with full deliberation, it cannot refuse it again: but this is no good reason, because the choice made cannot alter the nature of the will. The Fathers give these reasons, 1. The devil sinned of himself, but man was tempted. 2. In mans fall all mankinde would have been damned, but in the Angels fall, not all Angels.

The best answer is this, When they had sinned, God out of his justice refused to give them any help of grace, by which they might rise from sin, and without which it was impossible for them to recover: and this is the Apostles argument, If God were so severe that he would not give these so great and noble Creatures time of repentance, neither would he others. The Angels were intellectual Spirits, dwelling in heavenly places in the presence of God, and the light of his countenance, and therefore could not sin by error or misperswasion, but of purposed malice, which is the sin against the Holy Ghost and irremissible. But man fell by misperswasion, and being deceived by the lying suggestion of the spirit of errour.

The devils malice against mankinde appears, Gen. 3. where there is an imbredVide Amesii medullam. l. 1. c. 11. enmity in the devil, as likewise, 1 Pet. where he is said to be a roaring lion, a lion roars when he hath got his prey, by way of triumph, or when he is hungry and almost starved and so most cruel.

p. 282This malice of his appears in his going up and down the whole world to damnHis malice is against all mankinde, but especially against the Saints, Gen. 3. 15. Rev. 12. 8. 1. Because God hath set his love upon them. 2. Because they are members of Christ, his Kingdom was set up in opposition to Satans. 3. Because they bear the image of God. 4. They conquer him here, and shall judge him hereafter.Gen 3:15Rev 12:8Rev 12:1 men, and that though he get no good by it, nay, though his condemnation be so much the greater, and therefore if God should let him do what he would against us, he would first bring all outward misery as upon Iob, and then eternal damnation. And though he knows God will defend the godly, yet he never leaveth to vex them, to tempt them to sin, to overwhelm them with grief and dispair, so that he is opposite to God. The devils malice is beyond his wisdom, else he would never oppose the people of God as he doth, since he doth hereby advance their glory and his own ruine.

The devils are subtill creatures; 1. In nature. 2. They have perfect intelligenceHence the devil is compared to a serpent, what subtilty did he shew in beguiling of Eve. Leonem agit & saevit, Draconem agit & fallit. Diabolus metuendus magis cum fallit quam cum saevit. Aug. The strength of a temptation lies in the repetition of the motion. Luther was so often tempted to selfmurther that he durst do nothing but repeat the Commandment, Thou shalt not kill. of all things done in the world. 3. They have gotten subtilty by long experience, Iob 32. 7. 4. They have strong delusions and great stratagems, 2 Cor. 11. 14. 5. Their subtilty appears by their prevailing over the wises… men in all ages, and by making choice of the sittest instruments to accomplish their designs: When he would deceive Eve he made choice of the serpent; when he would deceive Adam he made choice of the woman. The devils design was to draw Iob to curse God, therefore he spared him two things, his tongue that he might be at liberty to curse God, and his wife to be a counsellour to him thereto.

Their craft is seen likewise in their divers and sutable temptations, 2 Cor. 2. 12. We reade of his methods, Eph. 6. and depths, Rev. 3.

His first stratagem and device is to observe the naturall constitution of every mans minde and body, and to sit his temptations thereunto.

2. To observe our natural abilities and endowments, and accommodate his temptations thereunto.

3. To apply his temptations to mens outward estate, condition and place.

4. To tempt us by method, beginning with questionable actions, thence proceeding to sins of infirmity, and so to wilfull transgressions, and at last to obstinacy and final impenitency.

5. To bring us from one extream to another.

6. To perswade that his suggestions are the motions of Gods Spirit.

7. To make advantage of time by alluring every age to the peculiar vices thereof, as children to idlenesse and vanity; youth to lust; perfect age to violent and audacious attempts, old age to covetousnesse, and every one to the sins of the time.

The devil is called the Tempter, because of his trade and way. He takes advantages,He tempts first by inward suggestions, for being a spirit he hath communion with our souls and can dart thoughts into us, so he filled the heart of Iudas. 2. By outward objects, he hath one temptation for the proud, another for the timerous. He tempts us, 1. From duties, as unseasonable and unfit. 2. In duties, Ezek. 14. 3, 7, & 22. latter end. 3. By duties, to rest upon them, Prov. 7. 14. Bonaventure reckons up six kindes of Satans temptations. 1. Those which are so sudden that they do judicium rationis praevenire. 2. They are often so secret that one cannot spy out where the temptation lies, they do subterfugere rationem. 3. Some of his temptations are so impetuous that they do vires transcendere. 4. They are importunate in respect of their continuance. 5. The way is so dark that misery and transgression lie at the door. 6. Those fraudulent temptations wherein he prevails over us to be our own tempters. The Saints may yet be comforted, 1. That a restraint is put on Satan in all his temptations, 1 Cor. 10. 13. 2. They shall tend to the increase of their graces; Satans temptations and accusations increased Iobs graces. 3. They have experience of the power of Christ within them; experimentall knowledge is knowledge upon trial, 2 Cor. 12. 19. 4. Hereby they know the power of Christs intercession, Luk. 22. 31, 32. and their own prayers, Rev. 11. 7, 8. 5. This quickens their wisdom and watchfulnesse, 1 Pet. 5. 8. 6. His temptations and accusations shall increase their glory hereafter.Ezek 14:3Ezek 14:7Ezek 14:22Prov 7:141 Cor 10:131 Cor 10:22 Cor 12:192 Cor 12:4Luke 22:31Luke 22:32Rev 11:7Rev 11:8Rev 11:51 Pet 5:81 Pet 5:6 tempted Eve when she was alone; our Saviour in the wildernesse, and being hungry. He hath variety of temptations, if one will not take another shall, if not presumption then dispair; and strives to prevail by his importunity. He assaults the Saints ardentius, the wicked liberius.

The devil is very powerfull aaThe devi's power is not a physical but a moral power only, that is, by suggestions and temptations from sutable objects. Astutiam suadendi, non potentiam cogendi habet diabolus. Austin Psal. 73. 48. & 136. 4. The devil is magnipotent but not omnipotent, saith Luther.Ps 73:48Ps 136:4Eph. 6. 12. the devils are called Principalities and powers. Alexander of Hales saith they have as great power as the good Angels; p. 283wicked men may be stronger then the Saints. Peccatum non tollit naturam, say the Schoolmen. Yet the Schoolmen generally say, that the lowest order of good Angels is stronger then the highest order of the evil Angels. And Aquinas part. 1. Qu. 109. Artic. 4. saith, Boni Angeli habent praelationem super malos.

He is said Ephes. 2. 2. to be the god of the world which rules in the children of disobedience. He is called the strong one, Matth. 12. 29. He hath a strong power over every one by nature, Iohn 12. 31. the Lord represented this spiritual bondage by the Egytian and Babylonish bondage.

But here is our comfort, Christ is stronger then he. He hath bruised his head,Daemones n… possunt quicquam crea…e, sed pos…unt cr…ata spec… tenus muta…. Qu…ma…modum docet Augustinus de …it. Dei lib. 18. cap. 18. Et ex co Theologi Scholasticique uno consensu. Rainold. de lib. Apoc. * They are so 1. Ratione causae, they proceed from the Devil who is the father of lies. 2. Ratione formae in manner of working, they are but delusions. 3. Ratione sinis. Vide Aquin. part. 1. Quaest. 110. Artic. 4. & Quaest. 114. Art. 4. Col. 1. He hath led them captive, and triumphed over them; and their power is wholly limited by God. The Devil is chained up as it were; he could not enter into the swine without a permission. He cannot produce any substance, or change one substance into another, he cannot call the souls of men out of their place and unite them to the body again, he cannot turn the will of man, as he pleaseth, nor do that which is properly a miracle. The works of the Devil are called lying wonders*, 2 Thess. 2. 9.

In respect of the work it self, they are for the most part feigned though not alwayes, but in respect of the end they alwayes tend to deceive and beguile.

The Devil can 1. Hurry bodies up and down in the Air, Matth. 4. 5. Luke The Schoolmen say the Angels (if God would suffer them) could tear the fabrick of heaven and earth in pieces. The Devil is 1. A creature. 2. A chained creature. 3. A cursed creature. 4. A conquered creature. foreign, Cameron saith Paul was beaten black and blew by some angel of Satan. See my Annot, in loc.8. 29, 33.

2. Raise tempests, Iob 1. 16, 19.

3. Bring diseases both of body and minde, Luke 13. 16. & 9. 31.

4. Overthrow houses and buildings, Iob 1. 18.

5. Break chains and bars, Mark 5. 4.

They are used as instruments by God, to punish the wicked, and exercise the godly; as we may reade in that story where God sent one to be a lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophet; and so Paul had one, 2 Cor. 12. to humble and try him.

Therefore in all thy temptations, in all the sad exercises and buffetings of Satan, still remember this, He is at Gods command, he bids him go and he goeth, leave off and he leaveth. That is a difficult place, 2 Cor. 12. 7. Paul repeateth the first words in that verse twice, as a thing worthy to be observed, Least I should be exalted above measure, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan (so we reade it) it may be rendred with Beza the Angel of Satan to buffet me. Some interpret this of a bodily disease, others of the concupiscence of the flesh; others think he meaneth some inward suggestion of Satan working upon his corruption, whatsoever it was.

I proceed to resolve some Questions concerning the Devils:

Quest. 1. Whether the Devils have all their punishment already?

No; What are thou come to torment us before our time? and they are reserved in chains.

They have the beginning of eternal wrath, although the aggravation and increaseQuocunque volitant gehe…nam & cat…nam suam portant, say the Schoolmen. Respectu culpae suae, their proper place hell, Respectu exercitationis humanae, they have their principality in the air, saith Aquinas. Interpretes recentiores Paulum metapboricè dicunt in aere daemones collocasse: quasi hostes è loco superiori cervi…ibus nostris imminentes, ut reddamur cautiores. Sanfordus de Descensu Christi ad inferos, lib. 2. pag. 130. In p…nam suam, inquit Bernardus, in Canti…. …rm. 14. Diabolus Locum in aere isto medium in…r Coelum & Terram sortitus est, scili…et ut videat & invideat. of it shall be hereafter, as mens souls damned are full of Gods anger, yet shall have greater torment at least extensively when soul and body are united at the day of Judgement, and while they are in the Air and go up and down tempting, they have not all they shall have, but hereafter they shall have the accomplishment of all; and shall never be received into favour again, although Origen held otherwise.

p. 284Quest. 2. How can they be punished with fire?

They that go to hell shall finde the fire no metaphor, B. Bilsons Full Redemption of mankinde by the death of Christ, p. 52. Vide Sanford. de Descensu Christi ad inferos, p 137, 138, &c. Nobis certum, ignis & flammarum in inferno nihil esse nisi metaphoricum, & pueriliter nugari quicunque corporea, sive … terialia sunt imaginati. Chamierus tom. 2. lib. 5. cap 2. Aquinas Supplem. part. 3. Quaest. 97. Artic. 5. holds it to be co… poreal, yet ibid. Art. 2. he holds the worm to be metaphorical.Seeing the fire is corporeal, how can it work upon immaterial substances?

Some therefore to answer this, do deny that there is material fire in hell, only the torments thereof are set forth by what is most terrible, and the Worm is metaphorical; others say by Gods power it is elevated.

Mark 9 44, 46, 48. The same thing is three times repeated. The never dying worm is the Spirit of God by the co-active power of the Law holding a mans sins before his eyes, and filling him with self-convictions, and so with perfect fear and despair for ever. The unquenchable fire is the wrath of God immediatly upon the whole soul, especially the Conscience. The Scripture often sets forth the wrath of God, and the effects and impressions of it by fire, Deut. 4. 24. & 3. 24.

Quest. 3. Whether the Devils shall torment the wicked after the day of Judgement? This is handled by the Schoolmen; I see no reason (saith Voetius) why the affirmative may not be admitted, although it is not to be made an Article of Faith.

The Scripture saith to be tormented with, not by the Devil and his Angels.

Gerhard in his Common-places de Inferno propounding this Question, An Daemones futuri sint damnatorum tortores? thus resolves it, the Devils before judgement, and in this life torment men, but after judgement they themselves shall be tormented in the bottomlesse pit, therefore they shall be companions in torment, not executioners of it. The object of this wrath in hell is the soul, and the punishment upon it must be its destruction, 2 Thess. 1. 9. The Devils cannot fill all the corners of the soul with wrath, God only can correct and destroy the Spirit. The wrath of God shall be the great and immediate executioner of the ungodly hereafter, 1 Cor. 15. 28. He shall dispense himself immediatly in Heaven and hell. The Schoolmen dispute, Whether the Devils that have been incentores in culpa, shall not be tortores in poena. The ministry of the evil Angels shall last no longer then that of the good Angels, that shall be laid down at the Day of Judgement. Vide Calv. in 1 Cor. 15. 24.

Quest. 4. What is the meaning of those Stories, Possessed with Devils?

More were possessed with them in the time of the Gospel, then ever before or after. See Matth. 4. 24. & 8. 16, 28. & 9. 32. & 12. 22. & 15. 2. & Luke 24. 33. Act. 8. 13. The reason is because as our Saviour had spiritually, so he would corporally or externally manifest his power over Devils. This possessing was nothing but the dwelling and working of the Devil in the body: one was demoniack and **These Daemoniacks mentioned in Scripture were no other then such as we call mad-men; and Lunaticks, as appears by Iohn 10. 20. Matth. 17. 15. compared with Luke 9. M^r Mede on John 10. 20.John 10:20Matt 17:15Luke 9lunatick too; because the Devil took these advantages against his body, and this hath been manifested by their speaking of strange tongues on a sudden. The causes of this are partly from the Devils malice and desire to hurt us, and partly from our selves who are made the slaves of Satan: and partly from God who doth it sometime out of anger, as he bid the Devil go into Saul; or out of grace, that they may see how bitter sin is, Vide Voet. Thes. de Energ.

Quest. 5. The meaning of Christs temptation by Satan, and how we shall know Satans temptations?

Matth. 4. The Devil carried Christs body upon the pinacle of the Temple. It is hard to say whether this were done in deed or vision only, although it seem to be real, because he bid him to throw himself down headlong: but now this was much for our comfort, that we see Christ himself was tempted, and that to most hideous things, Satan was overcome by him.

Damascene of old, and some of our Divines say, That Satan in his temptations of Adam and Christ, could not have accesse to their inward man to tempt them, therefore p. 285he tempted Adam by a Serpent and audible voice, and Christ by a visible Landskip of the world.

Satans temptations (say some) may be known by the suddennesse, violence and unnaturalnesse of them. All these are to be found in the motions of sinne whichM… Elton on the tenth Commandment gives two rules to know 1. If the temptations …e against the light of nature corrupted, as for one to kil a parent without any cause. 2. Blasphemo…s thoughts, Gen. 3. 4. 1 Tim. 2. 14. 1 Sam. 15. 2 Cor. 11. 3. Tentare est propriè experimentum sumere de aliquo Diabolus semper tentat ut noceat in peccatum praecipitando, & secundum hoc dicitur proprium officium ejus tentare. Aquinas part. 1. Quaest. 114. Arti…. 2.Gen 3:41 Tim 2:141 Sam 152 Cor 11:3 arise from ones own heart, original sinne will vent sinne suddenly, Isa. 57. 20. Violently, Ier. 8. 6. and it will break forth into unnatural lusts, blasphemies against God, and murders against men, Mark 7. 21, 22. M^r Liford saith, if they seize upon us with terrour and affrightment, because our own conceptions are free, it is very difficult to distinguish them: When thoughts often come into the minde of doing a thing contrary to the Law of God, it is an argument Satan is at hand.

The Devil tempts som… …o sinne under the shew of vertue, Iob. 16. 2. Phil. 3. 6. Omnis tentatio est assimila… …o…i, say the Schoolmen. Some under the hope of pardon, by stretching t…ds of Gods mercy, lessening of sinne, propounding the example of the multitud…e…ting before men what they have done, and promising them repentance hereafter before they die.

The difference between Gods temptations and Satans, they differ:

First, In the matter: the matter of Gods temptations is ever good, as either by prosperity, adversity, or commandments, by chastisements which from him are ever good: but the matter of Satans temptations is evil, he solicits us to sinne.

Secondly, In the end, the end of Gods temptation is to humble us and do us good: but of Satans, to make us dishonour God.

Thirdly, In the effect; God never misseth his end, Satan is often disappointed.

A question is made by some, Whether Satan may come to the same man with the same tentation after he is conquered? M^r Capel resolves it that he may, part 1. of Tentation, cha. 7. pag. 132, 133. It is also a question, An omnia peccata committantur tentante Diabolo? John 8. 41, 44. Every work of sin is a work of falshood, and all falshood is from the Devil; And likewise it is questioned, Whether man might not have sinned if there had not been a Tempter? To that it is answered, he might, for Satan fell without a tempter, the angelical nature was more perfect then the humane. 2. Nature is now so depraved that we cannot but sin, Iam. 1. 14. Non eget daemone tentatore qui sibi factus est daemon, saith Parisiensis.

Fourthly, What is meant by delivering up to Satan, 1 Cor. 5. 5? Some with Chrysostome think it was a corporeal delivering of him, so that he was vexed of him by a disease or otherwise, and that they say is meant by destruction of the flesh, and so expound that Mark 6. They had power over the unclean spirits, that is not onelyonly to expel them, but to put them in whom they pleased; but this is not approved, therefore others make it to be a casting out of the company of the faithful, and so fromIt seems to be taken from 1 Sam. 16. 14.1 Sam 16:14 all the good things that are appropriated unto that condition, and therefore to the destruction of the flesh, they expound to be meant of his corruption, for so flesh is taken in Scripture **Rom. 8. 13. Gal. 5. 20. Satanae tradi idem est atque ex Ecclesia (extra quam regnat Satan) ejectum declarari quempiam, non tanquam apud Satanam permansurum, & cum eo periturum, sed contra ut miserrimi sui status sensu permotus, resipis…at: at que ita carne abolita quae antea ipsi dominabatur, spiritus superior evadat, ut ita salvus fiat. Beza de excommunicatione.Rom 8:13Gal 5:20.

Sixthly, Whether the Devils may appear, 1 Sam. 28. He which appeared wasSpectrorum vox est à veteri verbo specio, h…c est, video, unde species, item speculum, composita item inspicio, conspicio, alia. Graecè foreign dicitur Mat. 14. 26. & Marc. 6. Graecanicam vocem vulgatam retin…it interpres: sed spectrum praetulit Erasmus. Vossius de orig. & progros. Idol. lib. 1. parte altera, cap. 6.Matt 14:26Mark 6 1. Subject to the Witches power, therefore it was not the true Samuel. 2. If Samuel had been sent of God, he would not have complained of trouble no more then Moses did, Matth. 17. 3. The true Samuel would not have given countenance to so wicked a practice, to the Magick Art. 4. True Samuel would not have p. 286suffered himself to be worshipped as this did. 5. Saul never came to be with theAgrippa hoc ipso exemplo Pythoniss…e Samuelem e…ocantis consir…are conatur, posse Spiritus fanctorum arte magica evocari. Rainol. de lib. Apoc. tom. 1. c. 75. Vide plura ibid. 'As yesterday is put for the time past, though long ago, Gen. 31. 2. Exod. 5. 4. Josh. 10. 3, 4, So to morrow is put for the time to come, not the next day only, Exo. 13. 14. Mat. 16. 30. * Isa. 57. 2. Rev. 13. 14. That it was not Samuel himself which appeared, but the Witches familiar spirit in his likenesse: these reasons prevail with me, 1. Neither by Witches nor Devils could the souls of the Saints be commanded, or disquieted from their places, when they are in rest and peace. 2. We are assured by the Doctrine of our Saviour, Luk. 16. that God will send none from the dead to instruct the living. 3. That which appeared received adoration at Sauls hands, which the Angel refused at S^t Iohns, Revel. 22. and the soul of Samuel neither might nor would have accepted. 4. Saul forsaken of God could not after death rest in the same place with Samuel the elect and approved servant of God. Lastly, The Fathers do for the most part resolve it was an illusion of Satan to st…ike Saul into desperation. Bishop Bilsons Redempt. of mankinde, &c. pag. 204, 205.Gen 31:2Exod 5:4Josh 10:3Josh 10:4Exod 13:14Matt 16:30Isa 57:2Rev 13:14Luke 16Rev 22 soul of Samuel in blisse: yet he saith 'to morrow shalt thou be with me. 6. God refused to answer Saul by Prophet, Vision, Urim or Thummim, therefore he would not answer him by Samuel raised from the dead. 7. True Samuel after his death could not lie nor sinne, Heb. 12. 23. He said Saul caused him to ascend, * and troubled him, if he had been the true Samuel, Saul could not have caused him to ascend, if not, he lyed in saying he was Samuel, and that he troubled him.

If God had sent up Samuel the dead to instruct the living: Why is this reason given of the denial of the Rich mans request to have one sent from the dead? because if they would not believe Moses and the Prophets, They would not believe though one rose from the dead. In so doing the Lord should seem to go against his ownLuk. 16. Willet. in loc.Luke 16 order.

The souls of Saints which are at rest with the Lord, are not subject to the power or inchantment of a Witch: But Samuel was an holy Prophet now at rest with the Lord. Bellarmine answereth, That Samuel came not by the command of theBellarm. de purg l. 2. c. 6. Vi…e illum de Christolib. 4. c. 11. Witch, but by the command of God, and that rather impeached then approved Art Magick, which he proveth, because the Witch was troubled. But the Scripture expresly teacheth, that her trouble was, because it was the King: who (having lately suppressed Witches) had now in disguised apparel set her on work, and so deceived her.

Bellarmine objecteth, The Scripture still calleth him that appeared Samuel, as if it were not an ordinary thing in Scripture, to call things by the names of that whichBellarm. de purg. l. 2. c. 19. Scriptura Deos appellat qui nihil minus erant, 1 Cor. 10. Ideò quòd Gentiles crederent Deos esse, & ut Deos ipsos venerabantur. Ita Scriptura Diabolum Samuelem vocat, ideo quod Saul illum Samuelem esse putaret. Lavater de Spectris, part. 2. cap. 8. Gen. 18. 2. & 32. 24.1 Cor 10Gen 18:2Gen 32:24 they represent, or whose person they bear; the representations of the Cherubims are called the Cherubims. And things are often called in Scripture not according to the truth of the thing, or Scriptures judgement thereof, but according to the conceit and opinion of others. The Angels which appeared to the Patriarchs are called men, Gen. 18. the Idols of the Heathen are called gods, Gen. 25. because they were so esteemed by those which worshipt them.

First, We must walk warily and watchfully against Satans temptations. We Corollaries. The Devils have an angelical nature, therefore are more dangerous adversaries. 1. They are more spiritual. 2. Undiscernable, he discerns us, but we cannot discern him, Luk. 24. 39. 3. They are very agile, swift in motion, Ps…l. 104. 4 4. Act unweariedly, Iob. …. 5. Terrible. 6. Potent, Ephes. 2. 2.Luke 24:39Luke 24:3Ps 50:104Ps 50:4Eph 2:2should be sober, 1 Thess. 5. 6, 8. Strong, 1 Cor. 16. 13. 1 Pet. 5. 8, 9. Watchfull, 2 Tim. 4. 5. Matth. 26. 41. Prov. 4. 23. Wise, Heb. 5. 14. Prov. 2. 9, 10. and of good courage, Josh. 1. 9. 1 Chron. 28. 10. Taking unto our selves the whole armour of God, Ephes. 6. 12, 13, 14. that we may be able to stand in the evil day.

Secondly, Believe not Satan though he flatter, 2 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 14. Foar him not though he rage. 1 Pet. 5. 8, 9. Hearken not to him though he tell the truth, 2 Cor. 11. 14. Acts 16. 17. For if he transform himself into an Angel of light it is to s…duce.

He assaulted our first Parents in innocency, and Christ himself, 1 Cor. 7. 5. But

1. He cannot hurt the people of God, 1 Iohn 5. 18.

p. 2872. All his assaulting is by leave, Luk. 22. 32. See Matth. 8. 31. he hath not onelyonly a general warrant to tempt, but a new commission for every act of temptation. Compare Iob 1. 12. with 2. 6.

3. God looks after him still.

4. This opposition of Satan is more for the honour and safety of our spiritual life.

5. He is a foiled enemy, Christ hath conquered him, Col. 2. 15.

6. Wait till death, and thou shalt then have a full conquest over him, 1 Pet. 5. 11. Rom. 16. 20.

Thirdly, See Gods great goodnesse, who offers us repentance, and Christ, when he absolutely refused the Devils.

Fourthly, See the exact justice of God, no greatnesse can priviledge one from punishment, none can be greater, nearer, holier, then Angels: yet if they sinne they2 Pet. 2. 4. Per Caliginem intelligunt nonnulli miserimam & horroris plenam vitae conditionem, sumpta translatione à facinorosis damnatis, qui in carceris pedore retinentur constricti, dum ad ultimum judicium protrahantur. Casmanni Angelographia.2 Pet 2:4 shall be tumbled out of heaven. Therefore we must leave all sin if we desire to go to heaven, it would not hold the Devils when they had sinned, No unclean thing shall come thither.

Fifthly, Be not like the Devils, then thou art one of his children: Wicked men1 John 3. 7, 8.1 John 3:71 John 3:8 are called sons of Belial. Certain particular sins make us like the Devil.

1. A liar or murderee is like to him, John 8. 44.Persisting in sin makes one like the Devil. Humanum est errare, in error… perseverar… Diabelicum.

2. A slanderer or an accuser of another.

3. Envious and malicious persons, as Witches.

4. He that tempts others, or perswades them to sin: the Devil is called the tempter, Eve spoke for the Devil, therefore she hath two punishments more then man, sorrow in childe-bed, and subjection to her Husband.

5. He that goes about to hinder others from godlinesse, as Elimas, Act. 13. Thou childe of the Devil.

6. A drunkard, 1 Sam. 1. 15, 16.

7. A proud person: especially take heed of pride in spiritual Illuminations and Gifts.

Sixthly, See the folly of those who do the Devil service, how ill will he repay them? Never did any trust in the Devil, but he deceived him, even for the base things of this life. Witnesse all Witches (his most devoted and professedPerkins on Heb. 11.Heb 11 servants) if ever he made any one of them wealthy: all Ages are not able to shew one.

Seventhly, Satans great businesse in the world is to study men, Hast thou considered my servant Iob? When he comes near to us in his temptations, there is something in us to take part with him, 1 Iohn 5. 6. there is abundance of self-love, self…lattery, and natural blindenesse, 2 Cor. 2. 11. He hath a strange power to make all his suggestions take with us, they are called fiery Darts: fire will quickly take:2 Cor. 2. 7.2 Cor 2:7 We are led Captive to doe his will. He comes to us sometimes in the Name of God, and can transform himself into an Angel of light, 2 Cor. 11. 14. He can raise up in mens spirits strange ravishments, and can swallow them up with joy as well as sorrow.