544 Deaths Prerogative. God knoweth that the Angels are not Duff, and therefore he may juffly expedi from them, and require of them, to ferve him, in altitudinibue, in height ofper formance, baying fourfold advantage above mén,by their very origination: First, the Angelsarc incorporeal; who can aâ quicker than I can think : My fluggiiiimagination cannot keeppace with their performances. It was buta Poe- tick ftftion, that the Spánifh genets were conceived of the wired: But it is a Theo- logical truth. Heb. r. 7, Hemaketh his íínoels Spirits, and his Afinuflers a !laming fire. Si hereas we poor men, do draie and drag a cumberfome corps about us, which-muchhindereth ús in all our devotions. Secondly, Angelshave nofiefh,and we havefleTç this will fome far interferreth with the former : 015 no. Our Saviour had a body, and that a real onc, but no flefh in this fence, that is no relique and remnant oforiginal corruption, whereas we have both body,and flej, too,in the word acception of the latter ; This Efgtaire ofour body (45I may call it) is .overoflrcious in his daily attendance,fo that wh tl: the Windof Gods Spirit blowethusone way, the tideof our corruption hurriethus another way,amifchieffrom whichAngels are fecured by their nature. Thirdly, Angels have no world to tempt them. We live 1.11PO nuyiruy in the middle ofSnares, fò badthat we fhould not look upon them, but.fo common that we can hardly lookbetide them. . Fourthly, and hilly ;_'Angels are free fromany Devil,cftedually to tempt them, fhould Satan indeavour,he could not accomplish it. Thematch cannot be lighted where there is no, tinder to take fire; Whereas fuck our corruption,it is quickly enflamed with Satans temptations. Angels having thus a fourfold advantage above men, and feting they, 'Pfal. 103. zo. Excel in flrength, whit we poor mortals exceed in tseaknef , God will ca- pe&from us fervice fuitable to tbemeanmatter we are made of,and in his account- ing with us, willgive usgrains ofallowance, make favourable abatements,and accept of proportionable defalcations, remembringthat we are but duff. Let me here make a fitppofition,notonly feafable in it Pelf, but which defallo,we fee daily performed ; fuppófe a man had two. Sons, the one grown to the full ftrength and faature ofa man, the other (which ufually happeneth by the fame venter) an infant which hathnewly learned the methodofgoingalone. Suppofe further, that the Father at thefame time, commandeth them both to come to him, and bring with them fomewhat proportionable to theirftrength, in obedience whereunto, the man-fon, bringeth.a Beam or Log on his thoulders. The Child fan cometh alto, and what doth he bring withhim? It is very well ifhe bringeth himfelf, for every ffep he ftirreth,he ventured) a {tumbling if not a falling, but what if alle, over and above himfelf, he bringeth affrauor reed in lxs hand. I appeal to you who are Parents ofChildren ( others being but incompetent judges of the cafe in hand) to you I fay, who have paternal affedion refident in your breafts, asadmaternal leagure. in your bolonia, whetheryou would not take it in as good part,a reed ofyour Child-fen,asaBeamofyourMan -ton's bringing; I trough you would. Have earthly Fathers, who are but parcel-pitiful, loch a Court of Chancery in their hearts, and 1hall not,God, whofe mercy to over all hie works, exceed us in all bowelsoféompai ion ? God I fay, who maybe Paid to have two forts ofSons, Angels, already arrived at their full firengthandperfedion. Inthelaws ofEngland,the Kings cldefl Son,as Duke of Cornwe!, was prcfumed tobe to all legal intents andpurpofes offull Age, on the tin lday of,hisNativity; fore I am that An- gélsat the very infant of then. creation were out of their non-age, and in full matte- tity,whilft men during their living in this life,are ftill in their minority; vntilEphef. 4.53. Weall come in the unity of thefaith, and ofthe knowled oftheSon of God, un- to a pet-felt man, unto the meafure oftheffature of thefulneffofChriff ; and there- fore God will difpence with our dual, performance, remembring that we are but Duff. However none can without manifcll ufurpation cntitle;themfelvcs to the leaft ! iharc in this Ufe of comfort, if the conncátion ofD.avids words (whereon they are
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