The Wells of Salvation Opened, Section 1
SECT. I.
Doct. 1. THat God doth make use of Ministers to preach the Gospel rather than Angels.
The Angel appeareth to Cornelius, doth not preach the Gospel to Cornelius, but from the Lord directeth him to send to Peter, to Peter, who was one of Christs Ministers, and He should preach unto him, and tell him such words whereby he and his should be saved. The Angel could have told him such words himself; he could have set forth the Lord Jesus Christ in his Divinity, and eternal abode with God; in his Humanity, with which he cloathed and vailed himself, and abode for a while here amongst men; in his Life so holy, his Works so powerfull, his Love so great, his Death so painfull, his Resurrection so soon, his Ascension so wonderfull, his Session and Intercession at the right hand of God; and the Glory which he hath with the Father in Heaven, however he had been vilified by some men when he was upon the Earth. The Angel could have preached the Law with such Thunder and Lightning, as should have made the Conscience of Cornelius to tremble, even as the Israelites did when the Law was given by their ministration on Mount Sinai. He could have shot the arrows of the Almighty so deep into his Spirit, as no balm on earth should have been able to heal his wounds: The Angel could have represented the God of Heaven in a more terrible way than man can do, as Lord of an innumerable host of mighty Angels, of which he was but one, and as set in battel-array against Christless sinners; and told Cornelius what dreadfull threatnings were denounced, and what heavy Curses did belong unto such as had broken Gods Law; and hereby could have put him into such terrors and consternation in reflection upon the least guilt, as should have sunk him down to the very brink of the burning Lake in his own apprehension, and forced him in the anguish of his spirit to cry out, O what shall I do to be saved? And then he could have represented the Lord Jesus Christ unto him as the only, and an all-sufficient, and most mercifull Saviour of Mankinde, who had undertaken the Office of Mediatour and Advocate, and was faithfull. He could have described his beauty and excellency in such high expressions, and invited Cornelius to come to Christ with such sweet words and pressing arguments, as never proceeded out of the mouth of any man. But the Angel had no commission to preach the Gospel to Cornelius; only to speak to him from God, that he would send men to Ioppa, and call for Peter, and he should preach the Gospel unto him. And as it was in the beginning, so it is still, God doth not send Angels down from Heaven to preach Christ, and Salvation by Christ unto the people; but he sendeth Ministers, men whom he qualifieth and commissioneth for the work.
The Reasons why God doth make use of Ministers to preach the Gospel rather than Angels, may be chiefly these three.
1. Because of our Infirmity.
2. For the honour of the Ministry.
3. That he might secure his own Glory.
Reas. 1. Because of our Infirmity. We could not in this state of darkness, weakness, and sinfulness, bear the preaching of Angels that are so holy and glorious: Our eyes would be dazled, our spirits would be amazed, and hearts sink within us at the voice of Angels, should they appear unto us in their glory. Manoah thought he should dye when an Angel came to him, and foretold him of a Son which should be born to him, Iudg. 13. Zacharias was sore troubled at the appearance of an Angel with the like message, L…k. 1. The Shepheards in the Field were exceedingly afraid when the Angel came to them to bring tidings of the birth of our Saviour, Luk. 2. And Christs Disciples were no less afraid when the Angels brought news to them of his Resurrection. And if holy men could not bear the appearance of Angels, much less could the unholy and wicked, whose guilt and defilement would make them a thousand-fold more fearfull. If an Angel should immediately descend from Heaven into this place, and taking my room should preach unto this Auditory before me; would not fearfull thoughts arise in the hearts, and paleness get upon the checks of the best amongst you? But what dread would there seize upon the spirits of such of you as are graceless and profane, who are yet in your sins, and have not made your peace with God? How would you shrink and croud out faster than you crouded in, as not being able to endure? When Moses had been forty dayes upon the Mount with God, and had seen only his back-parts, yet his face did shine with such lustre by reflexion of the beams of Gods Majesty upon him, that the children of Israel could not look upon his face without a Vail: And if Angels who continually behold the face of God in Heaven, should come down and appear and preach, men would not be able to hear and bear: Therefore God maketh use of Ministers to preach the Gospel, men of like passions and infirmities with our selves, for our infirmities sake: Men who will not affrighten us with their glory, whom we may look upon without dazling our eyes, whom we may speak unto, and converse with familiarly, without dread and terrour. As Elihu said of himself to Iob, chap. 33.6, 7. So it may be said of Ministers, they are in Gods stead, and yet formed out of clay, and their terrour shall no… make us afraid.
Reas. 2. For the honour of the Ministery. Jesus Christ himself the Son of God was a Minister when he was upon the Earth, and his employment was to preach the Gospel; and the highest spiritual honour that can be conferred upon any, is to be Christs Embassadours, Representatives, and to succeed him in this office and work of the Ministery, which honour he hath conferred upon some men rather than Angels.
I am not of their opinion, who think, that Gods people are exalted to a higher dignity than the Angels; neither do I think the consequences to be right from Heb. 1.1…. on which this Notion is grounded: Are they not all ministring spirits (speaking of Angels) sent forth to minister for them which shall be heirs of salvation? It doth not follow, because Angels do minister to the Saints, therefore they are inferiour to the Saints: for Jesus Christ himself did minister to them, though he be their Lord and King; when he washed his Disciples feet, in which act he appeared so like a servant, yet then he calleth himself their Lord and Master, Ioh. 13.13. Ministring to others doth not imply inferiority, unless it be such as doth withall imply dependency, but rather the contrary; our Saviour telleth his Disciples, when he perceived them to be ambitious of greatness, that whoever would be the greatest amongst them should be their Minister, Math. 20.26. Indeed our humane Nature in Christ is exalted above Angels; but in other respects we are inferiour to Angels. The Angels are above us in regard of spirituality, they are all spirit, we are partly flesh, and but partly spirit: In regard of immortality, they never dye, we cannot escape death long: In regard of purity, they have not the least tincture of sin; the most holy persons on earth are not without some remainders of defilement: In regard of neerness unto God, they dwell with God in Heaven, and behold his face continually; we are on earth, and see but his back-parts, and what we see it is but darkly and thorow a glass: In regard of power, wisdom, and many excellencies which we may be ignorant of, for who doth perfectly understand the nature, and all the properties of Angels? Yet although in these and the like respects the Angels are above the Saints on Earth, the Lord hath given this honour to Ministers rather than to Angels, to preach the Gospel of salvation by Jesus Christ. We read of three thousand converted by one Sermon of Peter, Act. 2. but where in the whole Scripture do we read of the conversion of any by Angels?
Reas. 3. And chiefly for Gods glory it is that Ministers are made use of to preach the Gospel rather than Angels, that the efficacy of the Gospel preached in the conversion and salvation of people might appear to be from God alone, and so the glory might be ascribed in whole unto himself, and nothing unto the Creature. If Angels were employed to preach and convert souls, people would hardly be withheld from Idolizing, and giving that Worship to them which is Gods due; they would be ready to glory and boast in the Angels should they be wrought upon by their preaching, instead of glorying in God. If the Corinthians did so in their Teachers when they were men of great eminency for gifts, I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am of Cephas; much more would Christians be apt to glory in Angels, if they were sent to be their Teachers: I am of Michael, happily one might say, it was he convinced and awakened my Conscience when fast asleep in sin and security, and O with what thundering words did he speak, enough to pierce the ear of such as are dead! Another, I am of Gabriel, It was his Sermons which perswaded me to repent and believe, and O what arguments did he use, such as would have moved a Stone! And thus instead of looking to, and admiring Gods free grace, people would be apt to look to and admire the Angels, and give them the praise which is due to God alone. Therefore God maketh use of Ministers to preach the Gospel, rather than Angels, that he might hedge in all the glory of Mans salvation to himself; that if any sinners be converted and saved by such weak instruments, they may say, It is the Lords doing; it is the Lords work and free grace, and it is marvellous in our eyes. God will not make use of the wisdom of men in preaching of the Gospel, lest the Faith by such preaching should stand in the wisdom of men, and not in the power of God, 1 Cor. 2.4, 5. And this may be one reason why God doth not make use of the wisdom of Angels in preaching the Gospel, lest the Faith produced hereby should stand not in his own power, but in his Angels wisdom. God maketh use of the foolishness of preaching (so accounted by the world because plain) by foolish Ministers (men of little esteem amongst such as are not able to discern reall worth) to save them that believe, 1 Cor. 1.21. God dealeth forth Treasures out of Earthen Vessels, that the excellency of the power might be of God, and not of men, 2 Cor. 4.7.