~ -------------------------------------------------- : 4o8 q-he [ombate betweene 1 Marrh.4.\ i --- - i I v er{11. l 1 \ rrialls apd temptations, howfocucr through I A rniniftcrs vnto Chrifi, fo by venue ofthe f 3 mc -----=-=.-·!~ 1 G odsnu.:rcic we hauc inioycd admirable peace: they become miniHcrs to all his true members. 1 i and tranquilitic for many yeares together; for lacobs laddc1· is thus expounded by our Saui~ 1 1 1 , bc:cing a part ofChn!ls 111yflical body,w c mufi I onr Chritl; 'i.Jeri'J, veri'J,l{4] 71ntoyou, hcreafIoh,J.ss. j lookc for the fame condnion \\'ith our head terfhall; eefee betttten open,andtheA m1els ofGod i ChriH Iefus, \:O. ho being fo re tempted ofSatan, t~Jcmdmg and defcmdlngvponihe fon~e of mrm. \ was left but for a fca!On, and after tempted aThis fonnc of mAn is Chrift, who becing God&: ! gainl';and therefore we mult rcfoluc our [clues man reacheth from heauen to earth~ and fi:em vndoubtcdly th:lt tri::tlls will come; what way, earth to hcaucu; to him the Angels miniltcr, God onely know<.·[b; but th(' winter of affiiC1ian~ by him they defcend to minificr to all the on will followc our harucH of ioy and peace: faints of God here on earth. and the yearely viCitationsJ by plo.gucs and f::t:.. Thev[e. 1. This teacheth vs to admire the mine,orc fymptoms, that is figtics ancl f"orerunendcldfe goodneffc of God vnto his Church ncrs ofmore hcauy iudgcmcms,vnlcfte we prcand Children,not only in betlowing hcaucn and. pare to mcctc our God in the praC\ifc of ipeecatth vpon them, bur eucn in giuing hi!: gladdie and vnfaincd repentance. And as this is the B: ous Angels to becom..: miniHring fpirits for !late of our Church in gencrail,fo is it the parthcirproteC1ion,defcnce,and comfort. I J.Th1s dcubr condition ofcucry Chrillian, whofc lifC their minitlcric, mutladmonifl1 vs to carry our . is a continual imcrcourfc of trouble and peace, felues rcucrcndy and holily in al mancr ofconand therefore cucry child of God muH: beucrfatiO. lfwe VIC::c in the prcfence ofan carthwat<.hfu!l !lg:linCt: fecuriric,and with the end of ly Prince, oh how carefull would \o\'C be to our one afi3ult,ioyn his preparauon for~ ncw:This bchauiour both for words and aCtions? Much 1~vas the !late ofChriH,andthc fcruam muft not more then fhould the prcfcncc and attendance llooke to be ~boue his maficr. And thus much of Gods glorious angcls,who pitch theirtcnu for the Dcuils departure. about vs if we be Gods children, make vs cir1 The fcc0nd pan of the lffuc of this conflict cmnfpcCt: to all our \'\'ayes ; and rhe rather, beis the minifleric ofthe Angels vmo Chrifl;And c:aufc their miniil:ery is for our comfort & probeholdthe Angelscame and min.ijlred vntfJ him. teClion,while we keep our fclues in the Hraight I In faying Behold,rhe Euangclifl commcnds vnwaics of God. I to our confidcration the view of a great wonll. Point. Theirnumber. It is not fa id one der, to wit, that that pcrfon whom the dcuill C .AngfU, but A ngels came and mioifired vmo· \vould hauc had to hauc worfhippcd him, is him.lndecdc when he was in hh Agonic in the here worfhipped and ferucd ofthe holy Angels garden a little before hispallion , ' one .Angell , a Lulr.s:.4~ of God. Let no man therefore iudge of himcame And miniflud comfort vnto him : fo that felfc, by that which Satan would perfwade him fomctime one,fomctime moc anendcd on him, ~o in temptation; ChriCls etlacc _doth now ap.. cucn as the cuill fpirits come to tcrhpt> fomcpearc farre different from that which Sathan time one alone, as Satan did here to Chritl,and would hauc brought him to, and fo fhall all fomctime moe,asthey did \>\hen he was vpon. Gods children fin de irto be with them after the Croffc. And as it bcfcU Chtilt,fo doth itto temptation, if therein they fight manfully after Gods children, they hauc fometimc one good the example of Chrift. Angel to artend vpon them, and fomctime maTouching the minitlcrie of chcfe Angels, ny: fo likewifc haue they fomctime one cuill here· obfcruc three points. Fidl> the bond chat fpirit to affauh them, and fometimes many, as cau.f-cth rhc good Angels to minillcr vnto 1 1 the man m '"''hom the Jegion was, And boreby Ghrill. Secondly, their number. And thirdly, . fallcth to the ground tlus common optmO,that the time pf their i11iniHcry. cucry man hath one good Angcll and one bad -I. Point. The bond of their Minillerie, is attcndmg vpon hnn, the one roprotcCl: hmJ~ Ch.rifls foucrai gntic oucr the Angcls,not oncly D ' the oi:her to tempt him. But this opinio~ cloth as he is God their creator>but as he is mediator 1 notwcl~fland •..vith the tenour ofthe fcriP,utre, God and man,eucn the man Chrifi, (I fay not \vhich rhus lets out the flate ofman in regard of the manh6od of Chritl ) but Chritl (as I may his attendance by Angels, that thcrearefomcfay) the man-God, is the Lord ofall Angels,& times moc about l.im, and fomctime fewer; they doe himhom~ge and feruicc.And thoYt;h whether we fpcakc ofgood Angels, or ofcuill the man-hood ofChrifi be not Lord ofangels, ipirits. yet beeing reccincd into the vnitie ofhis God11 I. Point'. !~c time"' hen th~fe .good A~- head, it is thereby exalted abouc ~11 Angels by gels came and mmJlhc~ vmo Chnfi,1s n~tcd m many degrees. Wherein we may behold the this word Then: that !s, when th~ dclllll t.1ad endclcfl'c goodncffc of God, in aduancing our doneaU hcc co~ld :~ga1.nA: our S~uJour .Chn!l:: nature, which by fin ne was rn:ulc more vile rrey came not Ill the tn~es of lHs ~ffaults, but ! then all earthly crcarurcs, far aboue the Angels w~cn Sa1a!l h.ad c:nd(d h1s temptan ons & was 1· in degree> by reafon of this coniunC1ion.which gbne. There~~ no doubt, bt~t the go~d Angels it h:uh .,.,·ith the nature ofGod in the pcrfon of were alwalC$ ~bout our Sau10ur Ch~1ft,. att:~4 1 ClmH. di ng on hisblcffed per!en, bm at th1s tune 1t 1s , Now :ts by this bond the Angels :~.re made \ like they tooke vpo\1 them fame vifible fl1apc, \ ' ----- ·--·~h:::•:.t :.1- - -
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