Sibbes - Houston-Packer Collection BX9318.S45 L5 1638

YoG vt,C,hrif feene of,,,9ngels: we.doethat that grieves thofe good spirits :one motive tokecpe us in the wayof obedience, that wedoe not grieve thole blefT'edfpirits., that ,are our Guard andattendance.Let us confider,when we are alone ; (it would keeper us from many finnes) no eye ofman teeth; I ,, but God Teeth, and confciencewithin feìtth, and Angelswithout are witneffes ; they. grieve at it,and theDevils.a- boutus rejoyce at it : Thefe meditations, when we are follicited to finne, would withdraw our minds and, táke,up our hearts, ifwehada fpirit offaith tobeleeve thefe things. Tob''e(teGod Let us !carne to make this use., likewif.-. to fortheir pro magnifie God , that hath thus honouredus ; not teEtion. anely to tákc our nature uponhire;tobe ',wife ,q in theflejh but alio to give ,us his owne.atten- dance, hiso,vne Guard, a Guard ofAnge .r. 1n- Whercin we deed, we arc in Chr i ft above Angels, advanced are advanced eì h aboieAngcis. hig r then Angels, (whatcaufehave we topray fe God ? ). HONare weadvanced above them?We are the Spoufe ofChrift, and foare not, Angels : theyare tinder Chrift, as a Headofgovernment, and a Headofinfluence ; they have,ftrength and confirmation from Chrifl :lie is nota Head of redemption, but ofconfirrnation tothem. Saint Benefit rfAn- Paul calls them elea A igelr,that ftand;they ltand Eels by Crri1 . by Çhrift., they have good by him : but they are not the Spoufe ofChriíl,vse arc the Spoufe, and ' members of Chrift : He bathhonouredour na- ture mole then the Angelicall; he did not take upon him the nature ofAngels ,but ofmen ; and ashehathadvanced us above Alger,fo hisd ifpen- fation

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