Senn. XXI. Of Good Angels. '53 on appointed and fent forth by God to miner on the behalf, and to do good Offices for them that _I/mil be heirs of falvation. Which laft words are a defcrip- tion of pious and good Men, fuch as had fincerely embraced the Chriftian Reli- gion, and were thereby become the Children of God, and Heirs of Eternal Salva- tion. So that thefe words are a brief Summary of the Dofirine of Good Angels, and of what the Scripture has thought fit to reveal to us concerning them : Which may be referred to thefe Three Heads. Fir/t, Their Nature ; Are they not Spirits ; Secondly, Their general Office and Employment; Are, they not iWiniflning Spirits ? Thirdly, Their fpecial Office and Employment, in regard to good Men ; they are fent forth to mini/ler !Or them (that is, in their behalf, and fur their benefit) who [hall be heirs offalvation. And this is as much as is neceffary for us to know concerning them; and all this is very agreeable to the general Apprehenlìon ofMankind ; but the Scripture hath very much cleared and confirmed to us, that wi ich was more obfcure and lefs certain before. I fhall briefly explain and illuftrate thefe Three Heads, and then draw Come ufeful Inferences from the whole. Firfl For their Nature; they are Spirits. This is univerfally agreed by all that acknowledge fuch an Order of Beings, that they are Spirits : But whether they are pure Spirits, devefted of Matter, and all kind of corporeal Vebicle (as the Philofophers term it) bath been a great Controverfie, but I think of nogreat Moment and Confequence. Not only the ancient Philofophers, but fume of the ancient Chriftian Fathers, did believe Angels to he cloátlied with . fome kincj of Bodies, confifling of the pureft and fineft Matter ; which they call Ætherial, And this Opinion feems to be grounded upon a pious Belief, that it is the peculiar Excellency and Prerogative of the Divine Nature, to be a pure and fimple Spirit, wholly feparate from Matter : But the more current Opinion of the Chriftian Church (efpecially of latter times) hath been, that Angels are mere and pure Spirits, without any thing that is Material and Corporeal belonging to then ; but yet fo, that they have a Power to affume thin and airy Bodies, and can when they pleafe appear in Humane Shape, as they are frequently in Scripture faid to have done. And this feems moll agreeable to the Scripture Account of them ; tho' I think it is no neceßfaryArticle of Faith, either to believe that they are'cicvathed with fome kind of Bodies, or that they are wholly .devefted ofMatter, But however this be, they are defcrihed in Scripture to be endowed with great Excellencies and Perfections ; they are faid to excel in /lrength, Pfal, 103. 2o. and in Knowledge and Wifdom. Hence are thofe Exprefliors of being as an Angel, of God, to difcern good ánd bad. 2 Sam. 14. 17. Wife, according tó the wifdom of an Angel, v. 20. To be of great AHivity and Swiftnefs in their Mo- . tions ; hence it is that they are reprefented in Scripture, asfrill of wings : And to excel in purity and holinefs ; hence is rthat Title given them in Scripture, of the Holy Angels. This is the Summ of what the Scripture hath üt feveral places delivered to us, concerning the Nature and Properties of good Angels; and beyond this, all our Knowledge of them is mere ,Conjelture and Uncertainty ; and the nice Speculations concerning them, idle and wanton Curiofities. Indeed the Scripture gives fufficient intimation of feveral Ranks and Orders, among them, by calling Michael an Archangel, and ChiefPrince, and by diftinguifhing them by the names of Principalities, and Powers, and Thrones, and Dominions : But what the diffe- rence of thefe Names import, though fome have attempted to explain, yet I do not find that they have difcovered any thing to us, betides their own Ignorance and Arogance, in pretending to be wife above what is written; intruding into thole things which they have not feen, being vainly pup- up in their f efbly minds ; as the Apoftle cenfures fome in his time. Secondly, We have here their general Office andEmployment; they are mini/bing Spirits ; they are (as I may fay) domeftick Servants, and couftant Attendants up- on that great andglorious King, whofe Throne is in the Heavens, andwhofe King- dom ruleth over all ; they Hand continually before .him, to behold his face, ex- pelting
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=