The Inseparable Communion of a Believer with God, Sermons · Sermon 8
ROM. 8.38, 39.
Nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers.
WE have ſeen the Ap…ſtle, as the mighty Champion of believers, encountring, conquering and triumphing over the firſt Rank or Regiment of enemies that appear in this cauſe; viz. that either attempt or endanger a ſeparation.
The ſecond Rank or Regimeat follow Angels, Principalities, Powers; Life and Death are but certain ſtates and conditions wherin Saints may be endanger'd & abſtractly conſidered, are unactiver hangs in themſelves; but Angels, Principalities and Powers are living. Agents that have a mighty activity in them, to hurt and endanger the welfare of ſuch an they oppoſ. Interpreters agree not in ſtating the quality of theſe three Agents.
Firſt, ſome by Angels, Principalities and Powers, underſtand the whole Hoſt of good Angels, diſtinguiſht by their orders, degrees and dignities as Cor. 1.16. The good Angels are called Principalities and Powers.
Secondly, by Angels, Principalities and Powers ſome underſtand the whole Hoſt of Angels good an bad; thoſe in Heaven are called Principalitie, and Powers, Eph. 3.10. ſo are thoſe in Hell, Eph. 6.12.
Thirdly, but I rather judge, the Apoſtle here intends, three particular and diſtinct Agents; all the creatures in Heaven, Earth and H…ll; for by his laſt expreſſion, And no other Creature it appears he intended to take in all creatures.
By Angels I underſtand, the good Angell in Heaven; by Principalities, the Rulers, Magiſtrates. Governours of this world, Tit. 3.1. Luke 12.11. by Powers the Angels of darkneſs, Eph. 6.12.
Dect. The Point is. That neither Angels, who are the Powers and Principalitie of Heaven, nor men, who are the Powers and Principalities of this world, nor Devils wh… are the Powers and Principalities of Hell, ſhall ever be able to ſeparate.
I ſhall conſider the firſt particular, touching Angels.
Firſt, why the Apoſtle ranketh good Angels among them who attempt or endanger to ſeparate— ſeeing there is no cauſe of fear, or real danger from them in ſuch a cauſe.
Anſw. 1. Becauſe I anſwer, firſt, the good Angels ſtand not by their own ſtrength, if leſt to themſelves; and the frai…ty of their own nature, they might fall from their preſent ſtation, become Apoſtates, and turn as bad enemies to believers, as Devils are.
Their ſtability and unchangeableneſs, is not from any natural power of inherent grace in themſelves. The Apoſtle here ſpeaks by ſuproſition, not as if the good Angels would really attempt to do it, but if they ſhould they could not. It is like that ſpeech, Gal. 1.8. If an Angel—
Saints in the height of their ſaith and confidence of ſecurity in God, have ſuppoſed ſuch dangers as never were like to be, and triumphed over them as if they had really been, Pſal 46.1.—4.
This wonderfully magnifies the ſecurity of Saints in Gods love, that it is above all, real or imaginary, poſſible or …uppoſed dangers.
Thirdly, the Apoſtle holds forth the greateſt Hyperbole of faith, the Elevation of a ſoul wrapt up in Gods love, above and beyond every creature of the higheſt Perfection. Therefore he takes in the latitude of the whole creature, that is below God himſelf, not only men and devils, but even the Angels, and triumphs over them in this Cauſe.
Fourthly, the Apoſtle here ſpeaks, as a man going into the field to meet his enemie, who in the height of his reſolution, in the confidence of his ſtrength and skill in his weapon, bids his enemy chuſe his Weapon, chuſe his Ground, chuſe his Second to his beſt advantage.
So the Apoſtle arm'd with Gods love, encloſed in Gods boſom, and confident nothing ſhall ſeparate him, bids his enemy in this cauſe, chuſe his Weapon, Life or death; Chuſe his Ground, Earth, Hell or Heaven; chuſe his Second, Men or Devils, or the whole Hoſt of Angels, if theſe ſhall appear againſt him, he fears not to encounter them, be doubts not of victory over them.
By this the Apoſtle would hold forth the immediate way of Saints, Communion with God in love, without the leaſt help or aſſiſtance of any creature concurring. Even all the Angels had nothing to do in it.
And as no Angel could ever procure Gods love, or bring a Saint into Communion with God, ſo none ſhall be able to ſeparate.
Secondly, we are to conſider, how the good Angels may be ſuppoſed to endanger believers in their Communion with God.
1. The good Angels by their continual Attendance and Watchfulneſs about Saints, muſt needs be privy to all their open ſins, in words, actions, duties, and cannot but conceive a holy indignation at the unworthy or unbeſeeming carriages of believers, as that text, 1 Cor 11.10. ſhews. Saints miſcarriages and ſins grieve, offend the Angels, and hereby may be ſuppoſed to endanger their ſtate in Gods love, when they ſin againſt love.
Secondly, the Angels in zeal to God glory, are always in a readineſs to revenge the injuries that are done againſt God, Pſal. 104.4 and they have ofte… executed, the righteous diſpleaſure o… God againſt his own people, 2 Sam. 2….16, 17. When David ſaw the Angel, h… cried out, O Lord, I have ſinned; Whe… Iſaiah ſaw God on his Throne, with h… Seraphims about him, the Executione… of his Juſtice; upon the Tranſgreſſion of his own people; he cries out, Wo me I am undone— Iſa. 6.1, 2, 5.
Thirdly, the Angels are made ſervan… to believers; Man in his firſt Creatio… was made a little lower then the Angels; but in Chriſt he is now exalted to glory and honour above the Angels; Chriſt hath not taken— Heb. 2.16. our nature is exalted in the Perſon of Chriſt, far above all Principalities, — Epheſ. 1.20, 21.
That Angels ſhould be ſervants to them, who by nature are inferiour to them, is ground of a temptation to them, (had not grace over-powered nature) to take all occaſions againſt Saints, to bring God out of love with them, and to bring themſelves again into the higheſt place of Gods favour.
Fourthly, the Angels may be ſuppoſed to endanger Saints, not induſtriouſly but occaſionally, by reaſon of the corruption that remains in our natures.
What through the excellency of their Natures, their nearneſs to God, and the many good ſervices they perform to us, Saints have been endangered to commit idolatry with them. See Rev. 19.10. Rev. 22.8. hence that caution of the Apoſtle, Col. 2.18, 19. hereby ſome are in danger to quit Jeſus Chriſt the Head.
Thirdly, we are to ſhew, that Angels ſhall not be able to ſeparate.—
I. They will not.
Firſt, in regard of their Office; they are all miniſtring ſpirits ſent forth,— Heb. 1. ult.
Secondly, they will not be enemies to them, but are in a readineſs to execute the wrath of God upon all that offend them, Mat. 18.10.
Thirdly, they have a charge to keep them in all their ways, Pſal 91.11, 12. not to lead them out of Gods way.
II. They cannot if they would.
Firſt, their ſubjection to Chriſt, they are under his dominion and ſovereignty, Heb. 1.6, 7, 8.
Secondly, their dependance upon Chriſt for the execution and performance of all they do; The viſion of Jacobs Ladder, compared with Jo. 1. ult. Angels attended Chriſt at his Birth, in the Wilderneſs when tempted, in the Garden at his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion.
Thirdly, they can do nothing but what God commands them, Pſal. 103.20.
III. If they could they dare not.
Firſt, they have their eſtabliſhment in Chriſt. They were by nature as mutable as the reſt that fell, they are fetled in a ſtate of love in God by Chriſt, teſtified by the Cherubims on the Mercy-Seat.
Secondly, they are by Chriſt brought into the ſame Fellowſhip and Communion with God as we, Eph 1.10. ſee what the Angel himſelf declared, Rev. 19.10. Rev. 22.9. and we are ſaid to be brought into Communion with Angels, Heb. 12.22.23. if they ſhould endeavor to ſeparate believers from Communion with God in his love, they ſhould alſo ſeparate themſelves.
1. Ʋſe. This informs us, that no creature ture in Heaven not the pureſt Angels, can be any part of our eſſential bleſſedneſs: Theſe Angels may in caſe of diſobedience actually inſtict the Tokens of Gods diſpleaſure againſt us: And occaſionally, through our own corruption, prove ſnares and temptations to us, ſuch as may endanger our ſtate in Gods love; much leſs then ca… any creature on earth, the holieſt, the pureſt Saint, the ſweeteſt and deareſt relation, be part of our eſſential bleſſedneſs. This alone conſiſts in our Immediate Communion with God in love, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, from which nothing can ſeparate us.
2. Uſe. This ſerves to confirm the faith of believers in the aſſurance of their unchangeable ſtate in Gods love; there is an utter impoſſibility to ſeparate them from it.
The Angels excel in ſtrength, Pſal. 103.20. if they cannot do it, much leſs can inferiour creatures, Men or Devils what is beyond the power of good Angels, is an abſolute impoſſibility to other creatures.
3. Uſe. By this we are informed, that thoſe things, thoſe Agents ſometimes we greatly fear, as enemies that may endanger us in our chiefeſt concernments, are often our greateſt friends, and ſuch as really deſign our greateſt good.
good angels, are but ſuppoſed enemies, and are real friends, belo…s of our Ioy, and ſuch as Endeavor to keep us faſt in the love of God.
4. Uſe. This fully convinceth Popery to be Apoſtacy, an Apoſtacy of ſuch, who were never truly, or really in a ſtate of Love and Communion with God through Chriſt.
For though not actively, yet occaſionally, through good angels they are utterly fallen from that love of God, that Communion with God in Chriſt they profeſſed.
They are fallen into the worſhip of Angels which is flat Idolatry, Rev. 22.9. and they hold not the head, — Col. 1.18, 19.
Had they real Communion with God in Love, they had never been ſeparated, by the means of Angels, from the love of God in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord.