England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 21
1. Coloſſ. 16. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, viſible and inviſible [whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, &c.]
INviſible things are here named by viſible for our ſakes; thrones, dominions, principalities and powers, are all terms uſed amongſt us, and we know what they mean, ſome chief in place and office, ſuperiority and rule over others; and ſo have Angels over this lower world, at the appointment and pleaſure of Chriſt, therefore called chief Princes in Daniel. The Prince of the kingdome of Perſia, withstood me one and twenty dayes, but loe Michael one of the [chief Princes] came to help me, Daniel 10.13. Greek tearms here ſound the ſame with the Hebrew word Shinan, a Shanach, to ſecond, foreign, next to the firſt, as theſe which have the prime office and command under a King, are ſaid to be next to him, Heſter 10.3. Mordecay was next to king Ahaſuerus; ſo Angels they are next to Chriſt, in ruling the viſible world, and therefore called Shinan in the Hebrew, and principalities and powers in the Greek, that is, chief governours next to Chriſt in reference to all the creation beſide.
Tearms are here multiplied ſynonymically, which when they are ſo, 'tis for our weakneſſe, there being no tearm comprehenſive enough below, to expreſſe, things above, Angels being ſo tranſcendent in all eminences both of nature and office. Multiplication like to this you ſhall find in the firſt to the Epheſians, 21. Farre above all principalities, powers, might, dominion, &c. There is variety of offices amongſt the Angels, as appeareth by that place forecited in Daniel, but this is not pointed at here in my text (as I think) by the variety of tearms which are uſed, becauſe they are all of the ſame ſignification according to the letters, and point joyntly at one main thing, which Chriſt would have all his know. That the worlds are ſubordinate, that the viſible world is under the dominion of the inviſible world, that Chriſt hath an unexpreſſable power and ſtrength by him at command, to over-rule this world and all things in it, thrones, dominions, &c. that is, tranſcendent powers, which all the powers in this world call them what you will, will not fully expreſſe.
I will demonſtrate this truth unto you by ſome angelicall properties. Angels are unexpreſſeable for number: the viſible world is populous, but the inviſible world much more populous; they live not one upon another as we do, which makes great conſumption here, and yet live near together, much nearer then we can do, who are corporeall beings. The chariots of God are twenty thouſand, even thouſands, or many thouſands of Angels. His meaning is, that God hath more for number then any generall can muſter up here, if he ſhould muſter up all the creatures in the world. You begin to number here from tennes and twenties, they do not begin to number above ſo low; thouſands and twentie thouſands, are Gods units, there he doth but begin to number. If men will go to numbring, God will out-number them, for his number is innumerable. Ye are come to an innumerable company of Angels, Hebr. 12.22. Our Saviours expreſſion doth plainly demonſtrate it, that the inviſible world is very populous, and that God hath a mighty vaſt command thereof; ſouldiery to ſtill tumults here with eaſe, or to do what elſe ſervice he will. When one of Chriſts company pull'd out his ſword to fight for him, Put it up, ſaid Chriſt, think'ſt not that I can now pray to my Father, and he ſhall preſently give me more then twelve Legions of Angels? and every Legion according to the Romanes, was ſix thouſand; twelve ſix thouſands and more. His meaning is innumerable numbers, and all theſe raiſed preſently, at a word ſighed out. Certainly they are very populous above. You are here along while of raiſing an army of tenne thouſand, and when you have done it, 'tis longer ere you can raiſe ſuch another; and when you have done it you cannot ſpare ſo many to wait up one perſon, about this poore creature, and that poore creature; and yet this is an ordinary thing with God. When Jacob went from Laban, Angels met him innumerable, and he admires it. This is Gods hoſt, ſaith he, and calls it Mahanaim, that is, two hoſts, or two camps. Gods hoſt, one is as bigge as two of ours, ten of ours, and yet theſe imployed every where, about this, and that Saint of God. Certainly the inviſible world is unſpeakable populous: Angels are unexpreſſeable for number.
Angels are unexpreſſeable for majeſty: the ſight of their face is death to us. A man of God came to me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an Angel of God, very terrible, ſaid Manoahs wife to him, Judg. 13.6. it was ſo terrible that it would have killed her and her husband too, if God had not mightily upheld, they are ſo fearfully made to fleſh and bloud. He hath made his Angels ſpirits, and his miniſters a flame of fire. What is more terrible then a flame of fire? it conjures naturall ſpirits, and makes them all croud in upon the heart, ready to croud the heart to death. 'Twas the preſence of an Angel that rendred the buſh as a flame of fire to Moſes; it was a multitude of Angels, which rendred mount Sinai a burning mount, which was a terrible ſight; ſo terrible was the ſight, that Moſes ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake, Hebr. 12. Fire is a ſupreme element for dread; its an element that ſits nearer God then all others do, and goes forth with more of his majeſty when it deſcends. Angels have the advantage of a perfect image; this advantage when it was upon man, rendred him very terrible to all the creation. They have not defiled their ſcarlet robes; as God did put them on at firſt, ſo they wear them ſtill, which render them full of majeſty. Man hath but a little of God in him, and with him now, and yet this holds him up, and holds him out, as a creature of much ſtate; but Angels have much of God in them and with them, he never ſends out theſe embaſſadours, but he ſends the very crown-jewels with them, Chriſt goeth perſonally among them. Three Angels came to Abraham, and one of them is Chriſt, as you ſhall plainly ſee, if you examine the 18. and 19. of Geneſis together. And ſo the Pſalmiſt ſaith, the chariots of the Lord are ſo many thouſands, and the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Kings, they have ſome that wait onelyonly upon their perſon, and chariots onelyonly for their perſon. Angels they wait onelyonly upon Chriſts perſon, where they go, one may ſay as the Pſalmiſt, the Lord is among them, though men cannot alwayes alike ſee it; and this I think was the reaſon, that Moſes was called to put off his ſhoes, when the Angel appeared in the buſh, becauſe Chriſt was perſonally preſent there, among thoſe miniſtring ſpirits that were there, to ſignifie good to that people.
—Angels are unexpreſſable for power, for courage, and ſtrength; they affright all, but themſelves are affrighted with nothing, neither with men nor with devils; they will ſet upon either. There is an expreſſion, Matth. 13. towards the latter end, which demonſtrates the ſtrength and courage of Angels admirably. They are Chriſts reapers of the great field of this world. The enemy that ſowed tares is the devil; the tares are the children of the wicked, the harvest the end of the world, and the reapers the Angels. The Angels are they that will make an end of the world, that will cut down tares & the ſowers of them, & make no more of one then of the other: they are ſuch creatures as ſhall cleanſe the world, and then burn the world; glean the world of all the godly, and then burn the reſt: they can lay ſuch a train, that ſhall blow up the world: they are thoſe flames of fire, that will ſet a fire, & burn all the world at the great day: they can take up this world, as bigge as 'tis, and throw it all into hell, and hold it there to all eternity. They ſhall be inſtrumentall about the greateſt deſigne the Scripture ſpeaks of. The ſonne of man ſhall ſend forth his Angels, and they ſhall gather out of his kingdome all that offend, and ſhall caſt them into a furnace of fire. I judge, that good Angels are the inflicters of plagues upon the bad, and that it is they that make hell to curſed ſpirits, one ſparkle of which, is bigger then that flame which ſhall burn the world; and judge you then of what courage and ſtrength they are, that can take all the wicked men in the world, and all the wicked ſpirits in hell at once by the throat, and make them all roar together to eternity. All runnes into this, that Christ hath an unexpreſſeable power and ſtrength with him at command, to over-rule the viſible world.
Let us bewail the blindneſſe of the viſible world. Would the great men of the world did know how great Chriſt is. Thoughts advance themſelves upon no ground, pride will be the ruin of thouſands, a little fleſhly dying ſtrength, makes men dare heaven; this folly will ſink men to hell. This world is overmatched infinitely, and yet proud in its attempts; 'tis beſet with invincible force, and yet ſees nothing, nor does nothing, but rebell againſt all the hoſt of heaven, and the Lord of theſe hoſtes; what ſtrength Chriſt hath, he will put forth againſt this generation. Wicked men, fear Chriſt: he will eat you out like a moth elſe, an inviſible power will carry the day againſt you. You can onelyonly look upon fleſhly ſtrength, and you ſee we have but little of this now, ſo God in his wiſdome hath ordered things againſt us, and this makes you bold in your attempts: but tremble, for verily Chriſt hath a ſtratagem upon you; when you are confident, becauſe you ſee little power on earth, you ſhall be cut off without hand, as the Scripture ſpeaks, with an inviſible force. This is Babylons proper judgement, Thou haſt truſted in thy wickedneſſe, thou haſt ſaid in thy heart, I am, and none elſe beſides me, therefore ſhall evill come upon thee, and thou ſhalt not know whence it ariſeth, and miſcheif ſhall fall upon thee, and thou ſhalt not be able to put it off; and deſolation ſhall come upon thee ſuddenly, which thou ſhalt not know, Eſa. 47.11. Wicked wretches, glory not whatever your ſtrength be. Chriſt hath an ambuſcadoe for you, an inviſible army which will conſume you ſtrangely.
I have two things to you Chriſtians from this point: truſt in Chriſt, and admire him. Truſt in the Lord, for with him is everlaſting strength: Angels never die, no work nor no weather kills them, or tires them. You will be ſure, Chriſtians, of one complete army to lie out for you all this winter, which will coſt you no money, nor need no recrute; an army of reformadoes which have been in all the fights, that have been in the world ſince the creation, and under ſuch a generall to get skill, as is not in the world. No men more fearfull then the godly uſually: I wonder at it, you have a wall of fire about you, which is better then your wall of earth. His miniſters are a flame of fire, and his miniſters are your miniſters, and encompaſſe you. The Angels of the Lord encamp about them that fear him. Fear ſprings from unbelief, and unbelief from unſeen means, and this is living by ſence, which if our Father Abraham had ſo lived in his journey to the mount Moriah, and in his journey to Canaan, he had broke his heart,: God hath in this, and in many other things ſhadowed out to Chriſtians, how all things reſpecting the Church of Chriſt, ſhall be carried in unſeen wayes, and by unſeen powers, and therefore commanded living by faith, and not by ſight, and yet every man pleads for a life of ſence. God works in a way of means, ſay they, which is true, but theſe means not alwayes viſible: As you get by ſuch a life, ſo continue your argument for it. Paſſion is better confuted by the hand of God. then by the word of God. Unbelief is confuted with ſtanding puniſhment. Lots wife is turned into a pillar of ſalt, and ſalt is a very tormenting and yet a very laſting thing.
Admire Chriſt, for he maketh it manifeſt that he hath an unexpreſſable power at command, to over-rule the viſible world: he letteth battells go againſt us for many houres together, and cutteth off our arm of fleſh, and then turneth the day himſelf by wounded men in an inſtant, no man knoweth how: certainly he hath a great command by him, which neither enemy nor we are aware of. My heart bleedeth to behold how blind we are in talking of men; but my heart is more ſad to heare how our adverſaries curſe and take on; they ſay that our Generall deals with the devill, or he could not turn about the day ſo againſt diſadvantage. Poore ſouls, ſome body hurteth them and they cannot ſee whom; Chriſts army is inviſible. The devil is true enough to his cauſe, they need not have ſuch hard thoughts of him, he is not falſe to his own kingdome as they are; Chriſts hoſts certainly fight againſt them, but when will they ſee and confeſſe this? their blindneſſe and ſtubbornneſſe will break all their backs, which is ſad, but what muſt to the ſword, let it to the ſword. Let us admire juſtice upon our adverſaries, and mercy upon ourſelves, let us all ſhout and ſay, Chriſts army is a brave army; Chriſts army is very great. Thou haſt broken Rahab in pieces as one that is ſlain; thou haſt ſcattered thine enemies with thy ſtrong arm, Pſalm 89.10. by Rahab is meant Egypt the generation which now are ſlain; and the holy Ghoſt goeth on and telleth us how we ſhould attribute victory to the glory of the inviſible power, and not to any fleſhly arm; Thou haſt broken Rahab, &c. A like Scripture you have; Hoſea, 1.7. But I will have mercy upon the houſe of Judah; and will ſave them by the Lord their God, and will not ſave them by bow nor by ſword, nor by battell, nor by horſes, nor by horſemen. Therefore let us lift up our hearts and tongues now, and ſay to Chriſt, that we are ſaved by the Lord our God, and by his inviſible hoſt, and not by men.