572 A Sermon on the fcorn not to own even in his mttmeft, for their LIJtd and Kmg; and therefore we find how ready they arc to wait upon him in the great eft inftance of his ab.?jtmenr. \Vhen he was in the WiJdcrnefs among howling Beafts tempted by the De·vil, that .Roaring Lion, it is faid, then Angels Miniftred unto l1im, Matth. 4· 1 r. \V hen he was in an Agony, and the heavy fenfe of God's Wrath fqucez'd from him large Drops of bloody Swet~t, an .A71gcl, it is faid, ftrengthned htrn, Luke 22 . 4 3. And now the time- is come, wherein thy may exprcfs their Fideli:y and Obedience in the loweft eftate of their Lord. And this is the firft Reafon, why the holy Angelt rejoyt:ed at the Birth of Chrift, becaufe now they have an Opportunity of cxpreffing their Humility and SubjeCtion to their Lord and King. · Secopdly, The AngeLs rcjoyced at the Birth of Chrifi, becaufc the Confirmation of that Blt/Jed JifttZtc of Grace and Glory wherein they now ftand, depended upon his Incarnatton• .God upon ChriWs undertaking the great Work of his Mcdif!torjhip, made over to h im the whole World, as it were, by Deed of Gift, MJtth. 28. 1S. Ali power (faith Chrift) i& given to me in Heaven and iTJ Earth. The Government of all Creatures is laid upon his Shoulders; And therefore if their be fo great a multitude of Holy A ngels preferv'd in their blifsful ftate beyond all danger of Apoftafie, it muft only be afcrib'd to Chrift aS God-Man. Hence he is ftyPd, Col. 2. 10. The head of all princip(dity and power. They are Members of Chrift as well as we are; they are united to him by Love, as we are by Faith; they arc part of the Church of Chrift as well as we; they are Glorified Saints triumphin?; in Heaven, we militant on the Earth, and afpiring thither, Ephef. 1. 10. It is faid, God gatlur.r together in one aU things itl Chrift, both which are in H ea"..m, and which are on Eanh, even in hi.m. We and they are .fheltered together under the fame V ail of Chrift's Flefh: And as the Saints on Earth dcrh'c from Chrift the Grace of Prefervance, which keeps them from drawing back to Perdition ; fo alfo do the Angels in Heaven. Once when the great God hurled the Apoftate Spirits down into the burning Lake, their own Wills were then mutable, and their Eftate too; they might have confpir'd in the fame Rebellion, and p:trtaked of the fame DeftrnB: ion; but that ( it is probable) the Meditator interpofed to fecnre and confirm them, and therefore they rejoyced at the Birth of Chrift, wherein they faw the Godhead atl:ually united to the Humane Nature,fince the Merit of this Vnion long before that prevaiPd for their happy perfeverance. Thirdly, The holy Angels rejoyced at the Birth of Chrift; from the fragnmt d(ftYe they have of Man's Salvtttion. Many Thrones in Heaven are vacant, God hath cxpell'd thence many Legions of Devils: And it is the fancy of fame, that the number of thofewho fuall be favcd, is equal to the Number of the fallen Angels, as if they wqe appointed by God to fucceed in their Places and Dignities. Now the Angels have an earneft defire to have thefe Rooms filled, and to have more Members added to their Heavenly Corporation. Hence we find Luke 1 S· 10. 7hert if joy in the pre.. fence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that Repents, The news of a Sinner's Converfation is entertain'd with Applaufe, it makes a Feftival in Heaven, that nO\V there is made another Man a free Dlniz...en of that Holy City : And jf they thus rejoyce at the Converfion of a Sinner, needs muit they rejoyce at: the Incarnation of 11 Saviour, fince this is the Root and Foundation of our Converfion, of our Hopr, and of all our Happinefs. Thus you fee the Reafons why the Holy Ang<ls rejoy<ed fo exceedingly at the Birth of Chriftt That is the firft Particular propounded, by whom this Joy is proclaini'd, namely, A multitude of the Heavmly Hoft. I might likewifc have added, that the Angels rejoyced at the Birth of Chrift, becaufe there is laid in it the great and wonderful Defign of God's Glory; bnt that falls inro rhe Second General, and that is, What this Angtlical Song contains in it? It is fe~ down in three moft amiable and excellent Things, Glory, Peace, and Good-will, wh1ch are here applied to their fevcral Objefls; Glory to God, Peace on Earth, and Good-will to• wards Men. To begin with the Firft, God's Glory; now God's Glory is of two forts, EJ{e_nrial, and D"eclar~ttive; God's Efi(:ntial Glory, is nothing elfe but the Infinite Perfcct_:~n.r of hU own Nature; it is a Conftellation of all his unconceivable Attributes, of Wijdom, Power, Holine[s, and the like, into his own ever bleffed Ef[ence: .And_ thus God V:' as from all Eternity, before ever there was Creature made to admtre lum, he W:is wfinitely Glorio1u in himfelf. Se,ondly, There is ;i Declar11tivt Gkry of G(}d, which is nothing elfc bu!i~~:;
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