A Discourse Grounded on Proverbs, Part 2 · Section 16
Sect. XVI
Right thoughts of Angels,IN thinking of ANGELS, The EVIL as many in Number, (though for the undividednes of their Kingdom) called the Devil and Satan; Evil, worlds God,As the Worlds God, yet Gods Slave; having ſinners in his chain,1 Cor: 4.4 Sinners his Slaves 2 Tim: 2:26 Works in their Will, Epheſ. 2, 2 Taken Captive by him at his will, yet cannot force their Will, though he work effectually in their Will, 'tis with their Will (for his Lusts will they do,) nay cannot ſo much as find out their Riddle, except he plow with their own Heifer, nor know their actual thought, but with it,(that's Gods Prerogative Royal I the Lord ſearch the Reins, … 44) but (as the cunning Angler doth the nibling of the Fiſh at the Bait under water, John 6, not …,by the motion of the Cork and Quill above water,) by ſome little outward indication o… the minds inward motion; as whe… Cains countenance was fallen, Gen 4, 5 Gen. 3, 3He knew he was very wroth, and ſo hurryeth him to Murther; and by Eve's minceing the Threatening (leaſt ye die,) when God had ſaid ye ſhall ſurely die) and by her eying the forbidden tree, Verſe 6He knew ſhe had a months mind, as we ſay, to the Fruit. Thus when he ſeeth the eys of the Adulterer full (foreign) of the Adultereſs, 2 Pet: 2.14he eaſily perceives how the Game goes; and ſo in other caſes; yet that he is Himſelf much more in Gods chain, Gods ſlave in his chain Jude 6and reſerved & kept therein (ever ſince he left his first eſtate) and ſhall be to the Iudgement of the great day; 2 Pet. 2, 4And therefore though he vex and diſquiet, buffet and tempt, 2 Cor: 12, 7and accuſe the Brethren before God night and day; Rev: 10, 12and though he ſet his Cloven foot, the foot of his Pride, upon the greateſt part of the World,1 John 5, 19 ſo that the whole World …eth (as it were) foreign in the very Maw, not jaw onelyonly, of that wicked one; yet ſhall he never be able to hinder Chriſt, or to hurt the true Chriſtian; but as a Lvon in the Grate, though his roaring be terrible, 1 Pet. 5, 8yet his reach is but ſhort; Rev. 12, 12and he knows it, therefore we may think it; Nay becauſe he is but a Slave in Gods Chain, therefore all his tugging at the Oar, ſhall but promote the purpoſes of Gods grace for his own Glory, and the good of his choſen; and 2, 2and (as Ionah in the Whales belly was ſaid to be as it were, in the belly of Hell, yet was afterward caſt up alive upon dry ground) the Devil ſhall be forced to diſgorge his Prey, and leave all Gods Elect ſafe upon the ſhore. Shall the Prey be taken from the Mighty, Verſe 10,o… the lawful Captive delivered? Bu… thus ſaith the Lord, Iſai. 49, 24, 25even the Captives of the mighty ſhall be taken away, and the Prey of the terribl… ſhall be delivered, for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will ſave thy Children. So that after longeſt and ſoreſt Temptations and Aſſaults of the great Red Dragon, the Old Serpent, Rev 12, 3, 9the Deceiver of the World, the Lyer & Murtherer from the beginning, John 8, 4with all his Policy and Power, Rage and Experience,James 4 7 He ſhall be forced to flee from thoſe that reſist him by Faith, as he left Chriſt; Then the Devil leaveth him, and the ANGELS,Matt. 4, 11 Good Angels, (viz) the GOOD Angels, came and miniſtred unto him.
And ſuch indeed even Miniſtring ſpirits, Hebr: 1, 14 miniſtring ſpirits to the Saints, innumerable,muſt we think them …o be, even all of them ſent forth for the good of thoſe that ſhall be Heirs of Salvation. So that all the …nnumerable company of (Good) Angels, that ten thouſand times ten …houſand, and thouſands of thouſands, Chap. 12 12are even all of them ſent forth for the Good of them that are Good; to right their wrongs, and to relieve their neceſsityes, Rev: 5, 11to Guard and Protect their Perſons while they live, 2 Chr: 32 21to attend their Souls when they Die, 1 Kin, 19, 5 Acts 12, 7and to gather their duſt together at the day of Iudgement, Pſ 91, 11:12 Luke 16.22 Mat. 21, 31 a comfortable thoughtand the Harveſt of the end of the World. And therefore it may be a comfortable though… to Believers, that they have innumerable inviſible friends, 2 Chr. 6, 17 Pſal. 103, 20to oppoſe to their viſible and inviſibl… Enemies, Angels of God excelling in ſtrength, Heb: 1, 6, 14 Rev. 19, 10worſhipers o… Chriſt, not to be worſhiped themſelves; and Servants of the Saints,& an awful thought, therefore called their Angels; And an awful thought too, as one would not do any thing uncomely in the ſight of an Excellent perſon, Matt: 18, 10ſo neither to admi… any thing unſeemly for Saints, though no man ſhould ſee them becauſe of the Angels.2 Cor: 11, 10