VaR, 14e Epifile to the I I B R fi w s. 19.3 gotten Empire. As alfochap: ro. v. t3, 20, 21. he declares how he aided .iu oppcif- tion to the Prince ofPerfia, and flirted up the Prince of Grecia ; that is, how he fhould do fo in the appointed time. And fo alfo doubtlefs 'are they employed about other Affairs in the world, from whence much good redounds unto many who yet belong not unto the Family ofGod: But yet two things we may'here obferve : Fir¡f, That though this Miniffery oftheirs was not immediately, yet it was ultimately forthe Church. For their fakes were thofe mighty Empires fiat raifed, and afterwards razed to theground. And this is that which they confider in their miniftery. See Zech. 1. B, 9, ro. II. And thence it appears that the Prince of the Kingdomof Perfia, who with- flood the Angel, was not anyAngelofGod butthe King ofPerfia himfelf, who'laboured toobiiru6 the work committed unto him. Secondly, That the Apofile treats in this placeofthat immediate refpedt which the miniffery of the Angels had unto the Church, becaufe in that regard alone he carries on his compariißn between them and theSan, that onlybeing unto his purpofe in hand. Butit may beobjected, that this their Miniffery millnot ckarly evince their inferisrìty and fubordination unto Chrifi, feeing he himfelfalfo was fine, and that for thegoodof them who (hall inheritfalvation ; and is thence called the Apofileofour;profeffion. But the differences between him and them intheir being fineare fo great and maniffl, that hisfuperiority unto them, and preheminence above them, is not in the leali thereby impeached. He wasfent by his own voluntary previouschoice and condefcenfion ; they arefo, in purfuit ofthe flue andcondition oftheir creation. He wasfent to minifter in the form ofafervant, only for a fhort feafon, in the days ofhis Beth ; they continue to be fo from the Beginning to theEnd ofthe world. He was fearunto that great and mighty workof Mediation which none was worthy to undertake, none able to go through withall but himfelfalone, the only begotten Son ofgod; they are fiat about the ordinary concernments of theSaints. He as theSon ; they asfervants. He as theAu- thor of the wholework of the Redemption and Salvation of the Church; they as fubordinate oflanes in the particular promotion ofit. Thegeneral Agreementthen ofhis and their beingPent for the goodofthe Church, hath fo many and fo great dif- ferences in the Manna Caufes and Ends ofit, that it noway takes off from the evi- dence of their Jùbordinationand fubjedtion unto him. And with this Demonfiration the Apoftle clofeth the Argument he had fo long 11)M.don. Ofthe nature ofthis Minijiery ofAngels for the good ofthem thatfhall inherit fal- vation, becaufe it belongsnot diredtly unto the prefent defignofthe Apoffle, and would in the full confideration of it caufe a long diverfion from the work in hand, I fhall not treat, although it be a matter fingularly deferving our meditation. For the pre- fent it may fufficeus to obferve, That in thegovernment andprotelïion of his Saints here below, both as to the diJ¢enfationof Grace and Providence, God a pleafed to make ufe ofthe Minijfery ofAngels, whereinmuch of their Honour and our Safety doth coafiff. For a'clofe of thewhole, we mayonly obfervethe Way andManner whereby the Apoftle propo- feththisdoarineofthe MinilleryofAngelsunto the Hebrews Are they not ? faith he hefpeaks of it asamatter wellknown unto them,andacknowledged by them. Their Nature, their Dignity, their Office was declared in the OldTeflament. Thence were they inftrudted, that as to their Nature they wereSpirits; in Dignity, Thrones Prin- cipalities and Powers; in Office, Minifters unto God, fent out for the good ofhis Church. And therefore thefe things the Apoftle in fundry places takes for granted, as thofe that were already known and received in theChurch of God, Rom. 8.v. 32. Epbef I. v. 20, al. Col. I. v. 16. ThisDodtrine then I fay was propagated from the Jews unto theChrifians. And from them alfo cameforth muchor that tangly and fuperflition aboutAngels, which afterwards infedted theminds ofmany in theChriftian Church. For after they were forfaken ofGod, andbegan to give up thernfelves unto vain fßeculations, therewas not any thing wherein the vanity of their minds did more early manifeft it felf, than intheir imaginations about Angels, wherein they exercife themfelves unto thisday. For to omit their monfirous figments about the Original of Devils, moil of whom they affirm to have beenbegottenby Adam onLilith before God formed Eve, and many tohave Blued fromAdam and Eve feverally whilft they lived feparate an 15 0years after the death of Abel, as later follies ; it is certain that fome ofthem began to vent curiofities about Angels in the Apolles time, Col. 2. 18. andto exprefs their fancies about, their Names, Orders, Degrees and Employments. And this theycontinue yet to do, although they peremptorily deny that they are to be invocated or prayedunto, wherein they are out-done by others.. Names they hate invented
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