Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v2

Chap. q.: An Expofitionupon the Book, of J O B. Vert IS. 137 enough to prove their f©lly,and unfaithfulnefs.And ifa man that hath not only tome Li-nattering oflearning and knowledge, but is a profeffed Scholer, be looked upon as ignorant, compared with the Bea?Jerks and great Scholers of the World ; is it any wonder that Angels fhould be called fools,in reference to the infinite wit dom of God ? thefoolifhnef:r ofGod it wifer thenmen,and the weak- nefs ofGod isjitonger then men, And it is as true of Angels, the foolifnnets of God is wifer then Angels, and the weaknefs of God is fironger then Angels. Angels are called Principalities and powers, but yet it is only becaute they ad in the power cf God, and go forth in his ttrength, that's the firff anCwer. Thew,aole nature of Angels is unfaithful and foolith,weighed with God. Secondly, Ianfwer, although in the Angels there is no aáual unfaithfulnefs or folly,yet there is peflible fòlly andunfaithfulnefs in Angels ; and,this potentiality is the thing here meant or aimed euuung; crew_ at. The holy Angels that now itand,are wife and faithful altoge- Jura hoc con_ ther, yet confidered in themfelves (not as confirmed by Chrift) yams;utPee- they may fall ; their condition is altered, but their contitution is carenanpour, hoc babet eg the Game. It is orherwife with min (which makes a wide diffe- donograti,e rence between Angels and men.)Man not only lath a potentiali- nonexconditi- ty to be foolith and unfaithful, but man is aEtually foolith and un- OWFnoturt. faithful ; yea man in himfelf isnothing elfe,but a bundle offolly Aquin. p. t. and unfaithfulnefs. Whereas Angels in themfelves, or confidered gUefl. 3 art. r. in their natural conititution,have no folly aEtually in them at all. The nature ofman was nothingbutfin,andAngels have nofin at all in their nature ;they only have a potentialiry,a poiibility in their nature to fin. So then, we mull understand this charge offolly with twocautions concerning Angels. Fiat, therewas not any folly concreated with them; their nature is purely pure.Secondly, they have not contra'ed any folly into their nature. The folly of the good Angels is but like the folly of man in the hate of inno- cency,when he had only a power to fin: which pofli bility of An- gels to tin is by the mediation ofChrift(wherein thefeAngels have a fhare,though not to redeem or raife them from their fall (as a man)yet to confirm and keep them from falling) I fay,by the me- diation'of Christ that pofibility is removed. Chrift hath changed their poflibility to frn,intó a,, impollibility of finning.This is a glop rious priviledg indeed, and that which all the Saints fnall have in glory. Redemption lath not only bettered the condition ofman, but the condition ofAngels.Now they all excel in Jiren th,doing the T co am.:nd

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