Right Thoughts, Part 2 · Section 16
Sect. XVI.Right thoughts of Angels. Evil, worlds God. 1 Cor. 4.4. Sinners his Slaves. 2 Tim. 2.26. Works in their Will. Epheſ. 2.2.
IN thinking of ANGELS, The EVIL as many in Number, (though for the undividedneſs of their Kingdom) called the Devil and Satan; As the worlds God, yet Gods Slave; having ſinners in his chain, 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, But with it. John 8.44.nor known their actual thought, (that's Gods Prerogative Royal, I the Lord ſearch the Reins,) but (as the cunning Angler doth the nibling of the Fiſh at the Bait under water, Knows not our thoughts but by indication. Gen. 4.5. Gen. 3.3.by the motion of the Cork and Quill above water,) by ſome little outward indication of the minds inward motion; as when Cains countenance was fallen, He knew he was very wroth, and ſo hurtyeth him to Murther; and by Eve's mincing the Threatning (leaſt ye die,) when God had ſaid,Verſe 6. ye ſhall ſurely die) and by her eying the forbidden Tree, He knew ſhe had a moneths mind, as we ſay, to the Fruit. Thus when he ſeeth the eyes of the Adulterer full (foreign) of the Adultereſs, 2 Pet. 2.14.he 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. 2 Pet. 2.4. 2 Cor. 12.7. Rev. 10.12.and reſerved and kept therein (ever ſince he left his firſt eſtate) and ſhall be to the Judgment of the great day; And therefore though he vex and diſquiet, buffet and tempt, and accuſe the Brethren before God night and day; and though he ſet his Cloven foot, the foot of his Pride, upon the greateſt part of the World, ſo that the whole World lyeth (as it were) foreign,1 John 5.19. in the very Maw, not Jaw only, of that wicked one; yet ſhall he never be able to hinder Chriſt, or to hurt the true Chriſtian: but as a Lyon in the Grate, though his roaring be terrible, 1 Pet. 5 8. Rev. 12.12.yet his reach is but ſhort; and 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 2.7.and (as Jonah 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, or the lawful Captive delivered? Verſe 10. Iſaiah 49.24, 25.But thus ſaith the Lord, even the Captives of the mighty ſhall be taken away, and the Prey of the terrible 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, Rev 12.3.9. John 8.44.the Old Serpent, the Deceiver of the World, the Lyer and Murtherer from the beginning, with all his Policy and Power, Rage and Experience,James 4.7. Mat. 4.11. Good Angels. 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, (viz.) the GOOD Angels, came and miniſtred unto him.
And ſuch indeed even Miniſtring Spirits, Heb. 1.14. Miniſtring ſpirits to the Saints, innumerable. Chap. 12 22. Rev. 5.11. 2 Chro. 32.21. 1 Kings 19.5. Acts 12.7. Pſal. 91.1.12. Luke 16.22. Mat. 21.31. A comfortable thought. 2 Chro 6.27. Pſal. 103.10. Heb 1.6, 14. Rev. 19 10. And an awful thought Mat. 18.10. 2 Cor. 11.10.muſt we think them to be, even all of them ſent forth for the good of thoſe that ſhall be Heirs of Salvation. So that all the innumerable company of (Good) Angels, that ten thouſand times ten thouſand, and thouſands of thouſands, are even all of them ſent forth for the Good of them that are Good; to right their wrongs, and to relieve their neceſſities, to Guard and Protect their Perſons while they live, to attend their Souls when they Die, and to gather their duſt together at the Day of Judgment, and the Harveſt at the end of the World. And therefore it may be a comfortable thought to Believers, that they have innumerable inviſible friends, to oppoſe to their viſible and inviſible Enemies, Angels of God excelling in ſtrength, worſhippers of Chriſt, not to be worſhipped themſelves; and Servants of the Saints, therefore called their Angels; And an awful thought too, as one would not do any thing uncomely in the ſight of an Excellent perſon, ſo neither to admit any thing unſeemly for Saints, though no man ſhould ſee them, becauſe of the Angels.