Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v12

Chap. 38. an Expofition upon the BokofJo s. Verf. é. Godly Man, is called hie glory ; I will fingandgiveprat: ( faid David , Pfal 108. t.) even with myglory. What is that ? his tongue , the chief bodily inftrument of divine praises. The Stars in their courfes once fought againft the enemies of God (Tudg. 5. 2o.) and they atwayes in their places fing the praifes of God Let it not be faid that Saints are filent. So much of there words, as theScars aretaken properly. Thereare force (as I laidbefore) who take there Scars meta- phorically or kuratively forthe Angels , and then their finging is proper ; and there are two reafons given , why by theflats in this place , we fhould underftand the Angels. Firft , If we confider the truthor course of the Hiftory, be- caufe the Earthbeingcreated the firfi day, the Stars werenot in . being till the fourth day ; unless we comprehend them (as was faid before , as to their matter and reallity) under thole words of Mofes , In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth : but as to their appearance and formality , fo they were not till the fourth day ; and if fo , how could they fing the prai- fes of God at the laying of the foundations of the Earth? A fe- cond reafon is given from this Chapter,becaufeGod (peaksof the Scars afterwards (verf. 3 r, 32) Canfi thou bind the Tweet influen- ces of °leiades (the (even Stars fo called ) or loofe the bands of Orion , eh'c. Here the Lord treats with pb about the Scars in proper.fenfe, therefore probably the Morning Stars here men- tioned, are not to be taken properly , but tropically , for the Angels. And theAngels may very well be called Stars, or Morning Stars, by a Metaphor , becaure of their fpiritual beauty and ex- cellency , in which they out-thine all the MorningStars , yea that fpecial Morning Star , commonly known by the Name of Luci- fer, or Light bet the he Though etter b autysthan any body. vifible bo- dily beauty , yet t y faid of Stephen (AE`ls 6. 15.) when he flood before the Council, 'They beheld his face ou it bad been the face of an Angel. Angels ( being Spirits) hrave no vifible faces ; but becaufe Angelsare, in their nature and qualities , beautiful creatures , therefore Stephen having an extraordinary beauty fiampt upon him ,-is laid to have the face of an Angel.. And as beautiful perfons may be faid to looklike , or referable Angels , fo Angels it ay, be fail CO

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