, 114& Creation. rvfnExpo{ttio~ . 1\11gds. 1 ' I, .That Angels had a beginning it is no A tha~wh~Ch they get by obferuing the dealing quefi10n:for 7'••1fiuch,that by God all thtngs I lofGod •.ntmrwhole world, but<'fpeti:llff·i" wcr~ ~r~at~d in heauen and earth, thi.ng~ vi~~ I the. <?hurch,: And.r.~us Paul f~lth,th~tto pr~ii- 1 Eph~,1a . 1Col.r,r6 lob J8·7· b}e and Jnutlible, whethe•thrones,prlllctpah" palttres andP"'"""'"' h'""'i''J'plaeti u lt•.,••<h< I qes;or powers. And inrcfpcct ofthe creation; -nifo/dwifoc/;,m.ofGodby<h,Church. • • :·' · ~ngels are called the fonnes of Gtd. But the . · I V• .And as the knowledge, fo altci the' \!me and day of their creation caphpt b: f~t 1 power ofthe good- angds;is eJCceeding gr<it• . Pf.l ,. 3. dow.nc furtherthen this,that they were crea1 • They are able.to doemdrc~hen all men ean.l :o. ted in the cotnpaife ofthe Gxedaies. For M•- , Therefore .Pau! cals then'rmightt' AngeiJ. 2 • Gen,%.1, frs Clith, Thus, namely inthe co.mpa£fe ofthe Thc(f '·7· Yea,their poweris farre!uperiour firlt.lixe daics, th• h<Autm••dth• eorth wmf•- ! to the power ofthe wicked angels,, whollnce '"'' ·do Jhio~e.d,<nd•lithehMf/f{th<IIO:thotis,allvariety ' the fall ate Vnder them anil cannotpreuailea- T1in. hb. ofc~;~:amresin heaucn and earth, feruing for , gainfi them. the beauty ·and-gloric thereof' whereof.no . ·. V. The place ofrhe aboad ofangels,~s tile doub1 the,Angels are the principall. 1 bighefi heauen., vnlc{fe thcybe fc:nt thence by I I. Touchingtheoatureof Angels, fome t~eLord, to doe fo~Joing-appcirited by hauethought that they are notbmg but qua- B h1m. Th1s our Saoiour Chn!treachethwhen litics and motions i~ the minds ofmen, as the he fii,.h,th:etthe4ngels oflittl~ont.J tfq:~tfw"ies be- . M:u:b .s. Sadducos and the Lrbertines oftl1isti'lle: but holdrhefaeeof their Farher in hwun. And the l tc, thetrut~is,that they are fpirirs.that is,fpiriru1 1 wicked angelsheforetheir fall werephc_e<)-in all and mutlible fubfianccs created by God, . heauen,becaufc:they wcrccafithence. .; · and really fubliiiing: for the fccipture afcribes V J. That there be certaine dillintliot>S& vntothem fitchkind of actions woicn cannot . dinerlitiesof Angels, itis very like!y,becaufe · be performed by the creat,ltes, foue only fuch they are C3lled thrones,andprincip~!ities,and as be fubfiances : as eoftandbefore the rhro., ~f powers,Chembinand Srraphim; B\lt what bee God, to b,h,Jd rh• J•ce •f the f•ther, to'"";' I the diftintl degrees and orders·ofAngels,and mm1fo•/11 to he•••• , yct.w' mufi not im rghe whether they are to.be diftinguiilJcd"by their that they are bodil~ fublbnccs confitling 0f l natures,gifts, oroffices,.naaun by Scripture flelh and bor.c. And though they tooke vpon I can determine. themvifible ihapesandformes, anddideue VII• The Miniftery of Angelsrowhich and drinkeincompany of men, and thereup-- the Lord hath fer them aparr, is three-folde, •Luk.>4,. on are called (•)M••in fc iprure;yett'lCydid . and it refpe<teth either God himfe!fc, orhis 4· this by diuine difpenf•tio fora ti·ne,th•tthey c· Church,or hisenemies. TheMinill'ery whkli might thebetter pe~forme the actbns& but·heyperfarme ro God, is firfl ofall, roadore-, line£fcs amons men, to which tuey were by prJif:,and glorifiebimcontinually. Thus the Godappointed.Andthebodiesofmenwhich Cherubins i" Efaies vilion cry one toanothey a£fumed, were no Parts oftheir n ~~~res ther,H.l.f,holj,hoiy w the LordGudofho.ft. s:th• l lfa.G.;. vnited to them, as our 00dies are to vs ; bur worldilfuOofhi<glory.And whenthey wereto ratherthey were as garments are tovs, which puolrlh the birth ofrhe Mefsias, theybeginne they might put offand 011at theirpleafure. If on thism>nner, Glory to Godinthehigheft hM- Luk, '•'+ any !halt askc, whence they had thefe bodies, uens, P'ace "" ,.,-rh. Aud /oh• in ,his vifhn·l the anfwer is,that eitherthey were created of he_ard the Angels about the tbrone, crying nothing by the powerofGod, or framed of Wtthal<>udvoyce, Worthy,.thelambe,(j-c.U jApoc, f. fome other matter fubfifting be:fore. Ifagaine r~eiHepower,richts, andftrength, wifodwne,and lJ, &z,. it beasked,what became ofthefebodies when . honour, andglory, andpraift. And indeede the they laied the"l downe, becaufe they vfc:d highefi end of the miniftery of angels , is ti.~ thembutforatime,theanfwermaybe,thatif manifefiation of the glory ofGod. Thefethey were made ofnothing, they were againe ,cond,isto fiand in Gods pr<fence, euermore refolued into nothing: if madeofothercrea- D ready to doe his commandtRtents, as Dauid tures ;· thatthen they wert refolued into the I faith, Prnifl the Lord, ye hieangelsth~texcel/in , Pf 11 f.Ht3, fame bodies of which they were firfr made, .ftrength, thttt do!hif commtmdmunu si1 obry1l?g • 1'· though indeede wee can define nothing certhe voi«ofhi< J>ord. And hereis a good·klfon tainly in this point. for vs. Wee pray dally, that we may doethe I I I. Angels are re>fonable crean~res, of willofGod,asthe angels in heauen doe it: let excellent knowledge and under!tandiAg,farre vs therefore·be followers of thehol)' Angels furpalfingal men faue Chrifi. Theirknow!edg inpraiiing God, and doing his comma:rdeis threefold:n\turoll;reuealed,experimentall. ments as they doe. N:.tural, which they recdued from God in the The miniflerie of Angels concerning the creati'Jn.ReuMlld,whichGod makesmanifefl: Church, ftands in this, that they :m: minito themin procclfo of tim.c:, whereas before firingfpi:irsfor the~?od of them whichfhall i they knew it not. Thus God reueakd toG•· ?cth~h~•rs.off.luatw.Thts good ts threefold; I H<h,l·' 4 bri•l the myftery of the7o. wcekcs, Dan. 8. m this l1fe,m the endofthlS hfe,and,mtlte !all and 9• And iA the Apocalyps many things iudgcmcnt:againc, the gocd which the_y proare reuealed rotheangels tha.tthey 111ight recure to the peopk ofGod in this lift·,Jscioher ueale them to vs. E.<perim•m•aknowlcdg~is in rcfp.:.tt .~body,or J<::I~<:_.l~fp~oftit~ 1' bodv
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