who being smitten by an angel, was eaten of worms, and died. But the pow er of angels will still more appear under the following head, concerning, IV. Their office and employment. 1. With respect to God; their work is to praise him, to celebrate the glory of his perfections; Praise ye him, all his angels, Psal. cxlviii. 2. and to worship him with his saints; we find them sometimes joining with men, with the living creatures and elders, in John's visions, in ascribing blessing, glory, wisdom,. thanksgiving, honour, power, and might unto God; and the same, in the same company, to the Lamb that was slain, Rev. v. 11, 12. and vii. 11, 12. and their work also lies in keeping the commandments of God, and doing his will in heaven and in earth; these are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth, to do his will and work in it; they wait his orders, and immediately go forth and execute them, Zech. vi. 4. 5. 11. With respect to Christ, on whom they are said to ascend and descend, as they did on Jacob's ladder, a type of him, Gen. xxviii. 12. John i. 51. these attended at the incarnation of Christ; one informed the virgin of her conception of him, removed her doubts about it, and explained to her the mystery of it; another encouraged Joseph to take her to wife, who thought to put her away, because of her pregnancy; and a third published the news of his birth to the shepherds; and who was presently joined with a multitude of them who in chorus celebrated the glory of God, displayed therein. Yea, when God brought him, his first-begotten into the world, and manifested him to it in human nature, he gave orders to all the angelic host, to do him homage and worship, saying, Let all the angels of God worship him, Luke i. 30-35. Matt. i. 19, 20. Luke ii. 10-14. Heb. i. 6. these had the care and charge of him in his state of humiliation; they were solicitous for the preservation of his life in his infancy; when Herod sought to take it away, an angel gave notice of it to Joseph, in a dream, and directed him to take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt: and I see no reason why those wonderful escapes of Christ out of the hands of his enemies, in riper years, when just going to destroy him, may not be ascribed to the ministration of angels; since it is most certain, that God gave his angels charge over him, to keep him in all his ways; see Matt. ii. 13. Luke iv. 29, 30. John viii. 59. Psal. xci. 11. When he had fasted forty days and nights in the wilderness, these same excellent creatures came and ministered food unto him, Matt. iv. 11. and one of them attended him in his agony in the garden, and strengthened and comforted him, Luke xxii. 43. they were present at his resurrection, and rolled away the stone from the sepulchre; and declared to the women at it, that he was risen from the dead, Matt. xxviii. 2. Luke xxiv. 4, 6, 23. they accompanied him at his ascension to heaven, even thousands of them; though only in the Acts of the Apostles, two are mentioned; by whom he was seen, and escorted through the region of 391 the air, the territory of Satan, in triumph; and was received and welcomed to to heaven, Psal. lxviii. 17, 18. Acts i. 10, 11. 1 Tim. iii. 16. and by whom he will be attended at his second coming; for they will make a part of his glorious appearing, which will be in his own glory, and in the glory of his Father, and in the glory of his holy angels, 2 Thess. i. 7. Luke ix. 26. III. With respect to the saints, to whom they are sent as ministering spirits; for though in some instances thev may have a concern with others, yet that is chiefly in the behalf of the church and people of God, who are more especially their charge and care, both in respect to things temporal and spiritual.—With respect to things temporal, instances of which are.-1. Preserving them in their infant-state; there is a special providence concerned with the elect; as soon as they are born they are under the particular watch and care of it, and are distin. guished by it; which is what the apostle means when he says, that God separated him from his mother's womb, Gal. i. 15. and which providence may be thought to be chiefly executed by the ministry of angels; for though it is not certain, which yet some scriptures countenance, Matt. xviii. 10. Acts xii. 15. that every one has his guardian angel, since sometimes more angels are deputed to one, and sometimes but one to many; yet doubtless saints from their birth are under the care of angels, and are preserved by them to be called, it is not known how many difficulties and dangers they are preserved from in infancy, in childhood, and in youth, as well as in riper years, by means of angels.-2. Providing food for them when in want of it, or that they might not want it; as they ministered food to Christ in the wilderness; and prepared manna, called angels' food, because prepared by them in the air, and let down by them from thence, for the Israelites during their forty years travel; and as an Angel dressed food for the prophet Elijah, and called upon him to arise and eat, Matt. iv. 11. Psal. lxxviii. 25. 1 Kings xix. 5-8.-3. Keeping off diseases from them, and healing of them according to the promise, He shall deliver thee from the noisome pestilence —neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling; for he shall give his angels charge over thee, &c. Psal. xci. 3, 7, 11. and if evil angels can, by divine permission, inflict diseases, as appears from the case of Job, and doubtless they would oftener do it, was it not for the interposition of good angels, why may not good angels be thought capable of healing diseases? and those many strange and wonderful cures wrought when all means have been ineffectual, may be ascribed, at least many of them, to the good offices of angels in directing to simple things, whose nature and virtue they are well acquainted with; and even they have cured diseases in a miraculous way, witness the pool of Bethesda, whose healing virtue for all diseases was owing to the agitation of its waters by an angel, John v. 4.-4. Directing and protecting in journies, and at other times; thus Abraham, when he sent his servant to Mesopotamia to take a wife for his son Isaac, assured him that God would send an angel before him to direct and prosper him, which the servant found to be true, and blessed God for it, Gen, xxiv. 7, 27, 48. so Jacob as he was travelling, was met by the angels of God, who divided themselves into two hosts for his guard, and one went on one side of him and the other on the other; or one whent before him, and the other behind him; wherefore he called the name of the place where they met him Mahanaim, which signifies two camps or armies, Gen. xxxii. 1, 2. and even all that fear the Lord have such a guard about them, for the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, Psal. xxxiv. 7.-5. Keeping from dangers, and helping out of them; when Lot and his family were in danger of being destroyed in Sodom, the angels laid hold on their hands and brought them forth, and set them without the city, and directed them to escape for their lives to an adjacent mountain, Gen. xix. 15-17. the preservation of Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, in the furnace of fire, and of Daniel in the lions' den, is ascribed to angels, Dan. iii. 28. and vi. 22. the opening of the doors of the prison where the apostles were, and setting them free; and the deliverance of Peter from prison, whose chains fell from him, and the gate opened before him, were done by angels, Acts v. 19, 20. and xii. 7, 10.-With respect to things spiritual.-1. Angels have been employed in revealing the mind and will of God to men. They attended at mount Sinai, when the law was given; yea, it is said to be ordained by angels, and to be given by the disposition of angels, and even to be the word spoken by angels, Deut. xxxii. 2. Acts vii. 59. Gal. iii. 19. Heb. ii. 2. And an angel published the gospel, and brought the good news of the incarnation of Christ, and salvation by him, Luke ii. 10, 11. An angel made known to Daniel the time of the Messiah's coming; as well as many other things relating to the state of the church and people of God, Dan. viii. 16-19. and ix. 21-27. and xii. 5-13. And an angel was sent to signify to the apostle John, the things that should come pass in his time, and in all ages to the end of the world, Rev. i. 1. 2. Though the work of conversion is the sole work of God, yet as he makes use of instruments in it, as ministers of the word, why may he not be thought to make use of angels? they may suggest that to the minds of men which may be awakening to them, and may improve a conviction, by a providence, which may issue in conversion. However this is certain, they are acquainted with the conversions of sinners; and there is joy in heaven, and in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance, Luke xv. 7, 10.3. They are useful in comforting the saints when in distress; as they strengthened and comforted Christ in his human nature, when in an agony, so they comfort his members, as Daniel, when in great terror, and the apostle Paul, in a tempest, Dan. ix. 23. and x. 11, 12. Acts xxvii. 23, 24. and as when in temporal, so when in spiritual distresses; for if evil angels are capable of suggesting terrible and uncomfortable things, and of filling the mind with blasphemous thoughts, and frightful apprehensions; good angels are surely capable of suggesting comfortable things, and what may relieve souls distressed with unbelief, doubts and fears, and the temptations of Satan; for, 4. They are greatly assisting in repelling the temptations of Satan; for if they oppose themselves to, and have conflicts with evil angels, with respect to things political and civil, the affairs of kingdoms and states, in which the interest - and church of Christ are concerned; see Dan. x. 13,20. Rev. xii, 7. they, no doubt, bestir themselves in opposition to evil spirits, when they tempt believers to sin, or to despair; so that they are better able to wrestle against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickednesses in high places, Eph. vi. 12. see Zech. iii. 1, 2, 3, 4.— 5. They are exceeding useful to saints in their dying moments; they attend the saints on their dying beds, and whisper comfortable things to them against the fears of death; and keep off the fiends of hell from disturbing and distressing them; and they watch the moment when soul and body are parted, and carry their souls to heaven; as they carried the soul of Lazarus into Abraham's bosom, Luke xvi. 22. and thus Elijah was carried to heaven, soul and body, in a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which were no other than angels, which appeared in such a form, for the conveyance of him, 2 Kings ii. 11. —6. Angels, as they will attend Christ at his second coming, when the dead in Christ shall rise first; so they will be made use of by him, to gather the risen saints from the four quarters of the world, and bring them to him; to gather the wheat into his garner, and to take the tares, and even all things out of his kingdom that offend, and burn them, Matt. xiii. 40, 41. and xxiv. 31. From the whole. it appears, that angels are creatures, and so not to be worshipped; which kind of idolatry was introduced in the apostle's time, but condemned, Col. ii. 18. the angels themselves refuse and forbid it, Rev. xix. 10. and xxii. 8, 9. yet, notwithstanding, they are to be loved, valued, and esteemed by the saints, partly on account of the excellency of their nature, and partly because of their kind and friendly offices; and care should be taken to give them no offence, in public or private; see 1 Cor. xi. 10. for the saints are highly honoured, by having such excellent spirits to wait upon them, and minister unto them, and be guards about them; and it is no small part of their gospel-privileges, for which they should be thankful, that they are come to an innumerable company of angels, Heb. i. 14. and xii. 22. OF THE CREATION OF MAN. MAN was made last of all the creatures, being the chief and master-piece of the whole creation on earth, whom God had principally and first in view in making the world, and all things in it; according to that known rule, that what is first in intention, is last in execution; God proceeding in his works as artificers in theirs, from a less perfect, to a more perfect work, till they come to what they have chiefly in view, a finished piece of work, in which they employ l their skill; and which, coming after the rest, appears to greater advantage. Miun is a compendium of the creation, and therefore is sometimes called a microcos.a, a little world, the world in miniature; something of the vegetable, animal, and rational world meet in him; spiritual and corporal substance, or spirit and mat ter, are joined together in him; yea, heaven and earth centre in him, he is the bond that connects them both together; all creatures were made for his sake, to possess, enjoy, and have the dominion over, and therefore he was made last of all: and herein appear the wisdom and goodness of God to him, that all accommodations were ready provided for him when made; the earth for his habitation, all creatures for his use; the fruits of the earth for his profit and pleasure; light, heat, and air for his delight, comfort, and refreshment, with every thing that could be wished for and desired to make his life happy. Man was made on the sixth and last day of the creation, and not before; nor were there any of the same species made before Adam, who is therefore called the first man Adam; there have been some who have gone by the name of Præadamites, because they held there were men before Adam. So the Zabians held; and speak of one that was his master; and in the last century one Peirerius wrote a book in Latin, in favour of the same notion; which has been refuted by learned men over and over. It is certain, that sin entered into the world, and death by sin, by one man, even the first man Adam; from whom death first commenced, and from whom it has reigned ever since, Rom. v. 12, 14. Now if there were men before Adam, they must have been all alive at his formation; there had been no death among them, and if they had been of any long standing before him, as the notion supposes, the world in all probability, was as much peopled as it may be now; and if so, why should God say, Let us make man, when there must be a great number of men in being already? And what occa sion was there for such an extraordinary production of men? Why was Adam formed out of the dust of the earth? and Eve out of one of his ribs? and these two coupled together, that a race of men might spring from them, if there were men before? But is certain that Adam was the first man, as he is called; not only with respect to Christ, the second Adam; but because he was the first of the human race, and the common parent of mankind; and Eve, the mother of all living; that is, of all men living. The apostle Paul says, that God has made of one blood, that is, of the blood of one man, all nations of men, to dwell on all the face of the earth, Acts xvii. 26. and this he said in the presence of the wise philosophers at Athens, who, though they objected to the new and strange deities, they supposed he introduced, yet said not one word against that account he gave of the original of mankind. But what puts this out of all question, with those that believe the divine revelation, is, that it is expressly said, that before Adam was formed, there was not a man to till the ground, Gen. ii. 5. Man was made after, and upon a consultation held concerning his creation: Let us make man, Gen. i. 26. which is an address, not to second causes, not to the elements, nor to the earth; for God could, if he would, have commanded the earth to have brought man forth at once, as he commanded it to bring forth grass, herbs, trees, and living creatures of all sorts, and not have consulted with it: nor is it an address to angels, who were never of God's privy council; nor was man made after their image, he being corporeal, they incorporeal. But the |