to theE P H E S I AN S. Creatures that are not !table, (as the word fignifieth, and asfome Tranflations ~ have it.) You fee then the Angels, (and there was fuffictent proof for it,) Serm.XI. that by that Law, wherein they were firfi gathered to God? by that knot, by~. that Covenant it wa. too 01ppery, God could put no tru(t 10 them, all the Angels might ha~e ferved him as the Devils did. . . Again There ts t!m mfalltble reafon, for tt ts an mfeparable property of the Creature'by an efi'emial defect that cleavetl1 to'it, that it is mutable, it is change– able and may be tempted to tin. I call it a property of the Creature, for in 1am~s I . ·u r. 1 5, and i 7. compared together, you !hall find that it is made the property of God alone to·be immutable and without fhadow of rurning. Now then,my Brethren, you fee that for thcfe Angels, if God would be fure of them, if he would put confidence in them,there mufr be fome further knitting of them to him, by fame further Covenant, fome further medium, by fame higher Law than this, meerly of Creation,that pa(t between them as Creatures, and him as their Creator. There needed therefore a fecond gathering. Out of this that bath been fa id, you fee thell, that although they were not acrually fcat– tered, yet.they were in danger, tkey had need therefore be fixed in a head, they are Glalfes,and they had need ofa bottom, which might keep them from falling; and thefe Morning Stars, the Lord Jefus Chrifi had need hold them in his hand, or they may fall down from Heaven as Lt<cifer that great Devil did. They need– ed fupernatural grace to confirm them, it is not their due by Nature, it is not their due by Creation: And by whom fhould they have this Grace? By whom Jhould they have this ProteCtion? Why, from him whofe Minifiring Spirits they are; his Minifl:ring Spirits, he c•lleth them fo, becaufe he bath a fpecial interefl: 'in them; they'are not our Minifrring Spirits, it is no where faid fo, they are font indeed for our good, but they are his Mini!tring Spirits, he bath a proper inte– re(t and title in them; he is the Fountain of Grace, and every thing that bath a– ny thing by participation, is reduced to that which bath it of it felL Now the Lord Jcfus Chrifr, he is that man of Grace, be is the Fountain of all Grace; therctore if they have fupernatural Grace, they mu(! have it from him, and therefore in him. When the Apo(t!e bad reckoned that he had Created all things in Heaven and in Earth, he addeth that ftill in him all things conlift, Angels and all, the flanding they have, this conlifl:ency, it is 'from the Lord Jefus Chriff. Colojt. I. I 7- Ho is the corner !tone of both the btj.ildings, both that in Heaven and that in Earth. , For, my Brctlmn, ( let me give you the reafon ofit,) it is only Jefus Chrifl: his natural due,it is his natural dwe,only being thenatural Son of God, that after he is united to the Son of God, God lhould be ingaged by a Law, a Law of Na– ture to uphold him, to be impeccable, to be put out of the danger of falling. It . is only proper unto Jefus Chri(t, it is his Law of Nature, for he is the Natt.)ral Son of God. It is hi< priviledgeto have life in himfelf, fo you have it, ']oh. S'· 26. Fo•· M the Father hath ltfe'i, himfeif, fo bath he!Jivm to the Sou, to have life in himfotj; no Creature harh fo that it can frand of it felf; therefore he ha– ving life in lumfelf, if they !land i nd continue to have life , they have it from h= ~ Likewife, let me faythis unto you, that tlie fulnefs of the Glory in Heaven, winch ts by a Umon Wtth God, the Angels could not attain to it nor had it by the. Law of their. Creation, it is fupernatural to them. The Papijls they afcnbe tt tO the nfe of Free-will,and'to their Merit · but it is above the due ofthe Creatur?· as the_befl Divines bold it, This ut moft 'otory in Heaven, that bea– ttfical Vtlion wluch we !hall have after the day of Judgment, and which the An· geis.are bro~ght unto, ta'!Cf''''m adJ;ermimtm, as unto theirutmoff happinefs, thiS ts only /eftu Chr:fl ht~ natural due. So to fee God as .'Jeftu Chrijl himfelf doth (ana Wtth the fame.kmd of light !hall his Members fee him, though for de– !\rcc he ex~eedeth, as we are anointed with the fame Spirit that he is, though m degree, he above meafure) that light which is thus proper to Chrifi, is the tranfccndent pnvtledge of the So;zof God, it is peculiar unto him,and it is by vir– tue of !urn wehi!vttr, botll Aogds and Men. X
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=