V $ t..14.. Epißle to the H g s It i w s. 1ST Apostle in that place declareth. And almost in all Ages of the Church, Men have failed on this account. TheCuriolity ofthe yews we did in fomeineáfure before manifeft. To them in their Imaginations fucceeded the GnoJficks; whofe portentous 1Eones andGenealogies of inferiour Deities, recounted by Ireneus , Origen, Tertullian, Epiphaniesand others of theAncients, were nothing but wicked and foolish Imagi- nations about Angels. Unto them fucceeded thofeabout the teginning of the fourth Century ; who flatly WorJhipped Angels,and had Conventicler, or private meetings for that purpofe, who are exprefly condemned in the thirty fifthCanon of the Councel of Laodicea, An. 364.. in there words, ''or d £i xnsuv s tomeeraáebfen sit ¿arrOna{ar vñ ees, xj datives, ,6 dyyAxs ávoµrCery ei au:áeeus ame7v; Pont danyoeeksar it rte Iv io5o 7o,;20 r aesu,ú44e i,Ionoaa,paia o{^A47,or. Ésb ává9t'we ;Ti t XaTiArae tor 'Ira"a, etes4 %r ride oä eeê %t ii,Peotioánr§4 apooiWoe; wherein theyplainly adjudge, that practice to be Idolatry and ApoJfafie from Jefus Chad. After thefe, about the end of the fourth , or beginning of the fifth Century , He vented his curious fpe- culations about their Hierarchy Orders and Operations, who perfonated Dionyfius the Areopagite, of whom we fpake before. From them all did that fink of Idolatry Superftition and Heretics the Church ofRome , derive her prefent Speculations, Ado- ration, WorJhipand Invocationof Angels. But as thefe things are all of them without, befides and againft the Word in general, fo they are in particular exprefly prejudged and condemned by theApostle in the place to the Coloffians before mentioned : And of filchkind ofneedlefs, ufelefs, unprofitable, dangerousSpeculations weare to beware ; and many ofthat'll could in particular recite, but that I would not teach them unto any, by condemningthem beforeall; but yet, 2. Danger should not deter to from Duty. Becaufe force have mifcarried in this matter, we ought not thereforewholly to neglect it; there being fo great, a concern- ment of the gloryof God, andour owngood enwrapped therein. Had others erred or wandred indeed, becaufe they had neither Way to walk in, or Guide to attend unto, it had beenfufficient to reltrain us from attempting any thing in this matter but whereas it is evident, that they wilfully negleEted the Way, or preffed farther than the paths of it lead them, and defpifed their Guide, following their own ima- gination inftead thereof, fhall others bedifcouraged in their Duty, whereas they may avoid their mifcarriages? Wary indeed this may and ought to make us in our en- quiries, butnot neglettive of our duties. We have the Word of God for our Way and Guide ; if we gonot besides it, if we gonot beyond it, we are as fafe when we treat ofAngels, as it we treated ofWorms. We have feen in part of what fignal ufe their MiniJfry is as unto our good, and the glory of Jefus Chrilt. And it is pride,to the height, not to enquireafter what may be' known, becaufe there are many things thatwe maynot know nor comprehend. If that take place it will debar us from all fearch into the Myfierier, ofthe Gofpel. For upon our utmott Attainments we know but inpart. Gods Revelation, is the Obje6,t of our knowledge. So far as that is made and given, fo fat we mayenquire and learn..Befides it is the height of In- gratitude not to fearch after what may be known of this great Priviledge and Mercy whereofwe are madepartakers in the Miniftry ofAngels. God hath neither appoint- ed nor revealed it for nothing. He expedts a reverence of Praife and Glory for it : and how can we biers him for it , when we know nothing of it ? This Mini- ftry then of Angels is that which with fobriety we are in a way of Duty to en- quire into. 3. Let us on this account glorifie Godand be thankful. Great is the Priviledge,ma- nifold are the Blelfings and Benefits that we are made partakers of by thisMiniffrp of Angels. Some of themhave been before recounted. What ¡hall we render for them, and to whom? Shall we go andbow our films down to the Angels themfelves, and pay our homage of Obedience unto them ? They all cry out with one accord, fee you do itnot, we areyour fellow servants : What fhall we then do ? Why fay they,WarJhip God : Glorifie and praifehim, who is the God"of all Angels ; who fends them, who employes them, unto whom they Minifter inall that they do for us. Let us bkßGod I fayfor the MiniJlry ofAngels. . Moreover, thefe words afford us other Inftru6kions, which I fhall only name, and put a dote untoour Difcourfeson this Chapter : as, III. The Socratical fancy of one Jingle Guardian Angel attending every one, at it is if admitted
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=