'oM~ CommuttiM ivitli the·hory Angels. -the world, are rcplcMifu.ed with inhabitants fuitable to their na1ures : And therefore that the incom... pahbly more grL~t and cxcellc~t O~bs and ~egions fhould all be- uninhabited_, is. ir~atio?al to ima– '·gine: 2 • And as we fee the·~attona1 Creatores·a,~:e made to govern the Brutes m th1s mfcnourworld, to reafon rellcth us it is imprbbable that the higher Redjon of the inhabitants of tpe higher R•gionr lhould have no hand in the government of man. And yet God hath further condefccnded to farisfie ·us herein, by fame unquefiionable .apparirlon·sof-good Angels, and many more of evil fpirits, which puts the matitr pifi all doubt, that there arc inhabitants of the unfccn world. And when we know 'that [Hcb thtre are, it maketh it the more ca!ie to us to believe ri)at fucb n·e may be, either numbered with the happy or unhappy Spirits : confidering the affinity which there is between the nature of our fouls and them : To conquer fenfelefs Sadu~ifm is a good fiep to the conquer\ of irrcligioufnefs: Ho ·that is welt per(waded that there are Angelf and SpiritJ? i~ ~ucl~ better prepared than a Sadducce to believe the immortality of the foul: And becaufc the mfimte dJ{lance between God and man, is apt t-o make the thoughts ofour approaching his Glory either dubio:u or very terrible, the remembrance :Of rhofe myriads uf bldTed Spirits that dwell now in the pr&nce of that glory, doth much embolden Bnd confirm our thoughts. As he that wouldbe afraid whether he (hould have acccfs to and accepl•nce With the King, woul~ be much encouraged tf he faw a mulutudc: as mean as h1mfelf,. or not much lmli'ke him, to be familiar attendants on him. I mufi confefs fuch is my owu weaknds, that I ~nd a- frequent need of remembring dle holy Hofis of s·1ints and Angt:ls, that are with God, to embolden my foul, and make the thoughts of Heaven more 'familiar and fwect, by .abating my fhangenefs, amazednefs and fe~rs: And thus far to make them the Media (that I fay not tlte M•diatort) of my .thoughtr, in their approJChes to the Mofi High·and Holy God: (Though the remembrance of Chrifi the true Mediator is my chi•f encouragement.) Efpectally when we confider how fervently thofc holy Spirits do love every holy perfon upon earth, and fo that all thofe that dwell with God, are clearer friends to us, than our Fathers or Mothers here on earth are (as is.briefly proved before,) this will embolden ·us yennuch more. · · 9.· r8. Dire&. 5· MakJ ufe of the thoughtr of the ,Angelica! Hoj!J, when you would fee the Glory and Dire[/.~· Majejly ofChriJI.: If you think it a final! matter. tqat he isthe Head of tbe Chm:cb on earth, a handful at people contemned by the Satamcal party ot tHe world, yet thmk what 1t ts to be Eirad over aU thingt, far abnJe aU trincipality, aHd power, and riJight, and domh1ion, and every name that i1 named, not. pnly i11 ti)W world; but alfo in that which ir to i:ofm, (that is, Gave , him a power, dignity and name, great'r than anyrppwer, digflity or riame of men ·or ~ngels ), and b.ttb pttt aU ,J~ings unde1· hi1 jut, Ephef. 1. 21, 22, '23. Bein.r; made fo much better thin ,be An?,tli, as he hath by inheritance obt::ined a more excellw,?tame tiMn thfy : <?! him it is faid, Le'>~~ the Angelruj'God wol}hip !Jim, Heb.1.4 6. Read thewhole Cfiaptcr. Our Head •• the Lord of all-thefe Harts. , , ; ~· J 9• Dire cf. 6. Mak.,e ufe of the remembrance of the gloriiUS An$.•li,l to acquaint you with the digni· Direl1. 6. ij of humam naturt, and tbe fpecial dignity of tfie /tr'vanti of GtJd, and [o to raife\up your hearts iJ! ~hgn:~ ~~gni~ ihanVfulnrfs to your Creator .nsd Rcdrtrmr w"ho bath thus 11dvanced yot~· I. \.Vhat a dignity is it that us. fidehum thefc holy Angel! ihould be aD Minijfring Spiritife'nt for our t,ood? that th~..y lhould love us, ancf ~~~~~~~::q~\~~ concern themftlves fo much tor us, . as to rejt~yce inHeavm at our converfion? L ord! TPhat i1 man; be~c ab orm th.tt thou art mindful of him, and the {on of man that th9H.vifitejf him : For tbou h:.~{f made bim a little narivit_acis iL~ lower tiJan the Angelt, and haft crowned him with glory and bo1tour, PE1l. 8. 4 1 'j· ~. But yet it is a cufiodl3.m ~~~. higher ~eclaration of ?ur dig~1ry, that ~efhould in_Heaven b: tqu:t with them) and fo be numbered :~t~:~: e• intothe1r fociety, .and ~oyn wtth ~hem everlafl.inl?ly 111 the pratfe of .our Creator. 3· And it is yet a jmo plurcs greater honour to us, that our·NJturn are affllmed into union of pcrfon with the Son of God, and Hiao1. fb advJnced ~hove H,e AngeiJ. For he toolt n'l)t on him the nature ofA1tgel!, but the feed of Abraham : Luke 10. 36. N,~r bath he pitt liJe world to cnme in fubjclJiun to the Angels, Ht:b. 2· ), J6. This is the Lords doing, and it is wonderous in our eyes. · ~· 20· Diretl:. 7· When you would ad"!ire the """k! ofGod .and hir.governmeltl, 108~ fPcciaUy to the Dire/1. • Angelr pm: IfGod would be glontied 111 hiJ work.J, then dpwally In themojl ~lori'UJ puts: If he 7 tak~.: ddight to wark hy lnfirumcnts, and to communicate {uch excellency and honour to them as may conduce to the honour of the principal caufe, we muH not overlook their excellency and bo~ nour, unlefs we will deny God the honour which is due to him. As he that will fee the excellent workm,mihip of a Watch o~ an) orher Et1giriC, mufi not overlook the chiefell parts, nor their operation on the rcfi : So he that will fee the txcelh.nt order of the works and Government of God, muli not over-look the Angels, nor rhfir Offices in the Government, and prefervation of (he inferiour creatures, fo far as God hath revea)ed it unto us. ' We fpoil the Mufic~ if we leave out tbefe ftringr. It is a great part of the glory of the works of God, that all the pms in Heaven and Earth are fo admirably conjoyned and joynted as they are; and each in their plac:es contribute to che beauty and harmony of the wholr. ~· 2 t. Dire&. 8. When you would be apprrhenjive of the •xceUency ofLove ana Humilit;•, and exa/1 Dire[/. S. obedience to the wzU ofGod, look, up to theAngeli, and /tt the IHftre of aU tbefe vertues ar tbeyjhine Heb.J. 14 • in them. How perfedly do they Love God and all nj, Saints? Even the weakell and meanell of the: Pfa!.IOjO~OJU tn}mbcrs of Chrifi ? ,With what hurni\ity do they condefcend to minitl:er for the heirs of falvarion? How readily and pcrfecrly do they obey their Maker? Though our chiefefi pattern is Chrifi himfd£ v.:ho came nearer to us) and ~ppeared in fldh, to give us t~c example of all fuch duties, yet unde; htm the example of Angels IS alfo to be obferved, and wtth pleafure to be imitated. And ask the enemies of Holinefs, who urge you with the examples of the Great and Learned, whether they are wifer than all the Angels of God? ' ~· 22.
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