Discourses on Divers Texts of Scripture, Discourses 1 · Sermon 10
ZACH. 4. 10.Zach. 4. 10.
These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
IT is hard to keep a mean; which, as appears in many things else, so, in the Doctrine and speculation of Angels, whereunto men were heretofore so much addicted, as they pursued it, not onelyonly to vain and ungrounded Theories, but even to Idolatry and superstition. There were in the Apostles times, who intruded into things they had not seen: there were then, who beguiled men with a voluntary humility in worshipping of Angels, Col. 2. what after times brought forth, I shall not need speak. That 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; Seraphims, Cherubims, and Thrones, Powers, Hosts, and Dominions; Principalities, Arch-angels, and Angels; and tels us the severall natures, distinctions, and properties of them all: Whereas it cannot be shewn out of Scripture, either that some of these names concurre not, (as Angels, not to be a common name to all the rest, especially to comprehend Arch-angels) or that these are denominations of the natures of Angels, and not of their offices and charges onelyonly; yet have these nine Orders passed for currant through so many ages of the Church.
But we, who (together with divers superstitions) have justly rejected also these vain and ungrounded curiosities, are faln into the other extream; having buried the Doctrine of Angels in silence, making little or no enquiry at all, what God in his Word hath revealed concerning them: which yet would make not a little for the understanding of Scripture, wherein are so many passages having reference to them, and therefore questionlesse something revealed concerning them.
I shall not therefore do amisse, if I choose for my discourse at this time, a particular of that kinde, which Dionysius in all his speculations hath not a word of; and yet seems to have strong footing in Scripture: It is this:
The Jews have an ancient tradition, that there are seven principall Angels, which minister before the Throne of God, and therefore called Arch-angels; Some of whose names we have in Scripture, as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and in the second Book of Esdras, mention is made of Ierechmiel the Arch-Angel. This Tradition we shall finde recorded in the Book of Tobit (whose antiquity is before the birth of our Saviour:) For there the Angel, who in the shape of Azariah had accompanied his son into Media, when he discovers himself, speaks in this manner; I am Raphael, one of the seven Angels, which stand and minister before the glory of the holy One. The Vide Cyp. adv. Iud. li. 1. 20. H lar. in Psal. 129. vel. 130.Greek hath, which present the Prayers of the Saints, and go in and out, before the holy One. But neither Saint Hierome, who translated it out of the Chaldee, nor the ancient Hebrew Copie set forth by Paulus Fagius, (and in likelihood translated out of the same Chaldee Originall) hath any such matter; but reads as I first quoted. And therefore it seemes to be an addition, or liberty of the Greek Translator, who thought their Ministery to consist in presenting the Prayers of the Saints, and so translated accordingly.
This tradition is farther testified by Ionathan ben Vziel, the Chaldee Paraphrast, Gen. 11. 7. where the Lords words, spoken in the plurall number, Venite, descendamus, & confundamus linguam eorum, are paraphrased in this manner. Dixit Dominus septem Angelis, qui stant coram eo, Venite nunc, &c. Whether rightly or fitly in this place, it matters not: The testimony is sufficient for the Jewish tradition of seven Arch-angels, that stand before the Throne of God.
This tradition Iunius saith is magicall; and not a little triumphs therein, as an undoubted Argument to evince the Book of Tobit not to be Canonicall: But whatsoever the Book of Tobit be, I hope to shew this tradition to have firm ground, and footing in Scripture, and not so rashly to be rejected.
The chief and most clear place is that I have now read; which gives us to understand, that these seven Angels were represented by that Candlestick of Seven Lamps, which continually burned, in the Temple, before the vail, over against the Mercy seat; which was the Throne of God. For in the beginning of the Chapter, the Prophet being shewed this Seven-lamped Candlestick in a Vision, and two Olive-branches on each side, ministring oyle to the Lamps thereof: The Angel asketh him, if he knew what these meant: The Prophet answers; No, my Lord; Then the Angel, discoursing a little by way of Preface, tels him what they were: These seven, saith he, (that is, the seven Lamps) are the seven eyes Angeli dicuntur foreign magni Regis. Philo. Lib. de Somni is.of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth: that is, those Seven Vigiles, or prime Ministers of his Providence, the seven Arch-angels, As for the two Olive-trees on each side; These are, saith he, two anointed ones, which stand before the Lord of the whole earth; that is, Zorobabel, and Iesua; the Prince and Priest, at that time; which should be Gods two instruments on earth, whereby his Church (signified by the Candlestick) should be re-established, and his Temple builded; and that not by force, or strength, as he saith in his Preface, but by the Spirit of God, working with them; as the olive trees here conveyed oyle to the Candlestick, not after a naturall and usuall, but a supernaturall and secret manner. This interpretation of the latter, hath the suffrage of the best Expositors, both Jews and Christians; and so I shall need say no more of it: but betake my self to make good the first, concerning the words I chose for my Text, That those seven eyes of God, signified by the seven Lamps, are seven Angels.
That this is so, I prove out of two places in the Apocalypse, derived from hence; where as well the Seven Lamps before the Throne, as the Lambs Seven eyes are said to be the Seven Spirits of God: I saw (saith Saint Iohn, cap. 4. 5.) Seven Lamps before the Throne, which are the Seven Spirits of God. And again, cap. 5. 6. I saw in the midst of the Throne, and of the four Beasts, (as we translate it) and of the four and twenty Elders, a Lamb, as if he had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. Here first, we have Zacharies very words, Seven eyes sent forth into all the earth: Secondly, That these seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God: Thirdly, that these seven Spirits were represented by the seven Lamps burning before the Throne. If this be not sufficient to make my interpretation of Zacharie good, I know not what can be. For who can now but think, that the Jews derived their tradition of these seven Angels, from this place of Zachary, and the Apocalypse from them both?
And that indeed the Jews supposed some such thing meant by the seven Lamps in the Temple, appears by the report of Iosephus, though depraved and fashioned unto the capacity of the Gentiles: For he tels us (both in his Antiquities, Lib. 3. cap. 7. and in his De Bello Iudaico Lib. 6. cap. 14.) that the seven Lamps signified the seven Planets, and the most holy place within the vail, (ibid. cap. 5.) the heaven of God, or heaven of Glory; and that therefore the Lamps stood slopewise, as it were to expresse the obliquity of the Zodiack: Now it is true, that the Jewish Astrologians, savouring of Gentilism, make these seven Angels the prefects of the seven Planets, which they seem to have learned in part from the Greek Philosophy; which conceit, howsoever it be vain and groundlesse, yet may be as a key to understand the meaning of this of Iosephus. And one thing more; If the visible things of God may be learned, as Saint Paul sayes, from the Creation of the world; why may not the invisible and intelligible world be learned from the Fabrick of the visible? the one (it may be) being the pattern of the other. But to let this passe, and return again to the Apocalypse.
Where concerning the places alledged, there may be two things objected: First, That the seven spirits there mentioned, are and may be expounded of the Holy Ghost, thus represented in respect of those seven-fold, (that is, manifold) Graces he communicates unto the Church: I answer, that many indeed have so taken it; but, besides the uncouthnesse of expressing one spirit by seven, there is a reason in the Text why they cannot be so taken; namely, because not onelyonly the seven Lamps are said to be those seven Spirits of God; but the seven Eyes, and seven Horns of the Lamb also, to be the same: Now it will be very hard and harsh to make the Holy Ghost, the Horns and Eyes of Christ, as he is the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world; that is, as he is a Man: Above Angels indeed the Man Iesus is exalted, and that too for the suffering of death, that is, as the Lamb: but not above the Holy Ghost. This made not onelyonly Drusius, but even Beza himself, in his Notes upon this place, to affirm, it could not be meant of the Holy Ghost, but of seven created Spirits.
A second scruple is, how (if they be created spirits) Iohn could pray for Grace, and Peace from them? Grace be unto you, (saith he) and peace, from him which is, which was, and is to come, and from the seven spirits, which are before his Throne, and from Iesus Christ the faithful witnesse, &c. would he pray for Grace, and peace from Angels? I answer, Why not? For first, he prayes not to them, but unto God, unto whom such votes are tendered: Secondly, he prayes for Grace and Peace from them, not as Authors, but as the Instruments of God, in the dispensation thereof: Are they not foreign, sent forth to minister for them, who are heirs of salvation? And if it be no Idolatry to pray unto God, to give Grace and Peace from the outward Ministery of his word; no more is it to pray unto him for it, from the invisible Ministery. For certainly, it is lawfull to pray unto God for a blessing from an instrument, which he is wont to give us by an instrument. Secondly, it may be said, that the words, Grace and Peace, need not to be taken in that speciall and strict sense; but in the large and generall, wherein Grace sounds favour at large, and Peace all manner of prosperity. In which sense, no man will deny, but the blessed Angels have an interest in the dispensation of the favours and blessings of God to his Church: and so God may be prayed to, to give them, as he is wont, by their ministery. Grace and Peace from him which is, which was, and is to come, as the Author and Giver; and from the seven Spirits, as the Instruments; and from Iesus Christ, as the Mediator. There is yet one place more in the Apocalypse, to confirm this tradition, chap. 8. 2. I saw, saith Saint Iohn, foreign, The seven Angels which stood before God. Is not this as plain as Tobit? Why should then the one be accounted Magicall, and not the other?
I adde moreover, that these Angels are those foreign, Principes primarii, or chief Princes, mentioned in the 10. of Daniel, Michael one of the Princes (saith the Angel there) came to help me: Now, Michael, we know, is one of the Archangels: And why therefore may not these chief Princes be those foreign, whereof Saint Paul speaks in his adjuration to Timothy? I charge thee (saith he) before God, and the Lord Iesus Christ, and the Elect Angels; not the good Angels at large, but those Angeli eximii, the seven Archangels, which stand before the Throne of God.
And it may, not without reason, be conjectured, that those seven chief Princes fained in the Persian Monarchie, took their beginning from hence; And that Daniel (who in respect of his account for wisedom, and of his power under Darius the Mede, had a main stroke in the moulding and framing the government of that State) caused the Persian Court to resemble that of heaven; ordaining seven chief Princes, to stand before the King. Of which we finde twice mention in Scripture, as in the book of Esther, where they are recorded by name, and styled, The seven Princes of Media and Persia, who saw the Kings face, and sate first in the kingdom: And in the Commission granted to Ezra by Artaxerxes, Ezra 7. 14. they are called, The Kings seven Counsellors: Forasmuch as thou art sent by the King, and his seven Counsellors, &c. And it may be, the Church of Jerusalem, when they chose seven Deacons to minister unto their Bishop, had an eye the same way.
Hitherto of the number of these Archangels; now a word or two of their office: And that is; first, to be the universall Inspectors of the whole world, and the Rulers and Princes of the whole Angelical hoast: which appears in that they are called Principes primarii, foreign, and foreign (1.) foreign their universall jurisdiction is meant by the words, sent forth into the whole earth, whereas the rest are limited to certain places. Secondly, to have the peculiar Charge and Guardianship of the Church, and affairs thereof, whilst the rest of the world, with their Polities, Kingdoms and Governments is committed to the care of *Clemens Alex. Strom. Lib. 7. foreign (sc. Filius Dei) foreign. Vide & Clementem Romanum Epist. ad Corinth. ubi citat Deut. 30. 8, 9. secundùm versionem foreign LXX. foreign qui non foreign sed foreign legisse videntur.subordinate Angels, who, according to their severall charges, may seem to carry those names of aOrigen seemes to acknowledge but four Orders, foreign. Cont. Cels. l. 4.Thrones, Principalities, Powers, and Dominions. That the charge of the Church, quà talis, belongs thus peculiarly and immediately to the seven Archangels, may appear by S. Iohns saluting the Churches with a Benediction of Grace and Peace from their ministery; and the typing of them by the seven Eyes and Horns of the Lamb; as Powers, which the Father, since he exalted Him to be Head of his Church, hath annexed to his Jurisdiction: Hence it comes to passe, that we finde these Angels peculiarly, both before, and in the Gospel, to have been employed about the Church affairs: In the Old Testament, the Angel Gabriel (one of the seven) revealed to Daniel the time of the restauration of the Jewish State, and comming of Messiah: And the Angel Michael (one of the chief Princes) was his assistant, when he strengthened Darius the Mede; who founded the Monarchy which should restore them, and is in speciall termed (Dan. 12.) the Prince that stood for Daniels people. In the Gospel, we finde the same Angel Gabriel imployed both to Zachary, and the Blessed Virgin, with the Euangelicall Tidings; and that Zachary might take notice that he was one of the seven, he sayes unto him, I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God. Likewise in the Churches combate with the Dragon, Apoc. 12. Michael and his Angels are said to be her Champions, and in her quarrel, to have cast the Dragon and his Angels down to the Earth: And in this Prophesie of Zachary, it is said, that these seven eyes of the Lord took care of one stone, which Zorobabel laid for the foundation of the Temple, and therefore the work could not be disappointed, but should certainly at length be finished. So as, by this time, we may guesse the meaning of that which Hanani the Seer told King Asa (2 Chron. 16. 9.) The Eyes of the Lord (that is, these seven Eyes) run to and fro through the whole Earth, to shew themselves strong in the behalf of those, whose hearts are perfect towards him.