15o: efln Expoftion of the' C R A P. I. glori%uflÿ they acquitted thenifelves in the work andMiniffry committed unto them. And to thisend doeh he charge Timothy'before the dell Angels , to look unto andMC- charge aright the fork ofan Evangeliff, 1 Tim. 5. 21. becaufe they were appointed of God to beWitne(s of his faithfulnefs and diligence therein. And it is not impro- bable but he hath refpeEt unto the prefence ofAngels in the affetrìblies of the Saints for the Worfhip of God, where he enjoyns M elefty and Sobriety unto Women in them on their account, 1 Cor. It. io. And from that particular inflance, a general Rule may be drawn, for the Obfervation ofComelinef and Order in all our Affemblies ; name- ly from the prefence ofthefe holy Witnefs at all our folemnWorfhip. For Church- Affemblies are the Court, the dwelling place, the Throneof yefus Chrif, and there- fore in themhe isin an efpecial manner attended by there glorious MiniJfers of his. prefence. And therefore although an holy -regardunto God and our Lord Jefils Chrift himfelf be the firft and principal motive unto a right and holy acquitment of our felves in all our Obedience Sufferings andWorfhip ; yet in fubordination thereunto, we may havealfo refpeét unto theAngels, as thofe who are employed by him to be Wirnefs of our wayes and carriage. Such a refpecîI mean, as may adminifler Occauionunto them to glorifie God in Chrilt on our behalf; that fo all the Honour may finally redound untohim alone. 6. God ufeth the MiniJfry ofAngels, to avenge his Eletlof their enemies and PerCecu- tots, to renderunto them a Recompence and Vengeanceeven in this world, in thedue and appointedfcafon. Thusby an Angel hedeftroyed the ArmÿofSennacherib when he intended and th'reatned the deftrudion of 3erufàlem. And by an Angel he fmote Herod in the midfl of his pride and perfecution, Ads 12. And this MiniJfry of theirs is in anefpecial manner pointed unto infeveral places of the Revelation, where the Judgements of God are foretold to be executed on the perfecution of the world. And this work they wait for in an holy Admiration of the Patience of God towards many a provoking Generation ; and are in a continual readinefs to dif- charge it unto the uttermoll, when they fhall receive their Commit/ion fo to do, Dan. 7. 7. They carry the fouls departed intoAbrahams bofom, Luke 16. 22. 8. Lardy, TheMiniftryof Angels reCpet$s thegeneral Refurreiion and Day ofJudge- ment. The Lord Chrilt is every, where defcribed coming to Judgement at the laf day, attended with allhis holy and glorious_Angels, Match. 24. i r. chap. 25.31. 2 Tbeff: '1.7, 8. Pude 14. n5. And great fhall be their work towards the Eleá in that day, when the Lord Chrilt (hall be admiredeven by them, in all thofe tbat do believe. For although the work of the RefUrretlion, like that of the Creation, is to be effeétedby the immediate Operation of Almighty Power, without the interveniency of any fe- cundary finite Agents limited in their Power and operation; yet many things piepa- ratory thereunto, and confequents thereof, (hall be committed unto the Miniftry of Angels. By themare the frgns and tokens of it to beproclaimed unto the world , to them is the founding of the laft Trumpet, and general fummons given out unto all fief' to appearbefore Jeftrs Chriftcdimmitted, with all the glorious folemnity of the Judgement it fdf. And as theybear and accompany the departing fouls of the Saints into the receptacles oftheir ref! in Heaven, fo doubtlefs alto (hall they accompany them in their joyful return unto their beloved old Habitations. By them alfo willthe Lord Chrilt gather them togetherfrom all parts wherein their redeemed bodies have been reduced into dull; and fo alfoat length by them bring all the heirs of falvation tri- umphantly into the full Poffeffion of their inheritance: And thus much may fuflìce to have fpoken about the MiniJfry of Angels here men- tionedby the Apofile; by allwhichit farther appears,how neither in their Nature, nor their Office they are any way to be compared with the Son of God in his Minífßry towards the Church. Some dedulllions alto for our efpecial life and f nflrudtion may here be added fromwhat hath been fpoken; As, i. That weought to bevery careful to ufe fobrie:yinour Speculations and Medita- tions about this matter. Herein cloth the Caution of the Apoftle take place in an efpc- cial manner, that we fhould be wife unto fobriety, Rom. 12. 3. and not to think our fives wife above that which is written. This Come neglee±ingofold, and endeavouring 'to intrude themfilves into the things which theyhad not Peen, Col. 2. 18. that is boafting of the knowledge and acquaintance with Angels, which they had no ground far, nor any fife I1lftrudtion in, fell into Pride, Curiofity, Superftition and Idolatry, as the Apoftle
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