}

the leaft variation.The only difference is in the form of outward adminiftration, wherein we are also so far greed, as that we all profefs this form not to be effential to the being of a church, tho' much importing the well or better being of it, according to our feveral apprehenfions thereof: And that we do all retain a reverend and loving opinion of each other in our own feveral ways, not feeing any reafon why so poor a diversity should work any alien ation of affection in us one towards another. But with al nothing hinders but that we may come yet clofer to one another, if both may refolve to meet in the primitive go vernment (whereby it is meet we should both be regulat ed) univerfally agreed on by all antiquity, wherein all things were ordered and tranfacted by the confent of the prefbytery, moderated by one conftant prefident thereof

And if in this point (wherein the diftance is fo nar row) we could condescend to each other, all other circum ftances and appendances of various practices or opinions might without any difficulty be accorded. But if ther

must be a difference of judgment in thefe matters, of out ward policy, why fhould not our hearts be fill one? wh fhould fuch a diversity be of power to endanger the diffol ing of the bond of brotherhood? may we have the grac but to follow the truth in love; we fhall in thefe fever tracts overtake her happily in the end, and find her em bracing of peace, and crowning us with bleffedness. far bishop Hall. 4. Nor was he only peaceable and mode rate, but golden-mouth'd and of godly life. Mr. Baxte reckons him amongst fome others, that have been excellen inftruments of the church's good, and fo eminent fo God's graces and gifts, that their names will be precio whilft Chrift hath in England a reformed church; we there in all England but one fuch man diffenting from (faith he) as Hooper, Farrar, Latimer, Cranmer, Ridley Jewel, Abbot, Davenant, Uher, Hall, &c. What fobe godly man would not be exceeding folicitous for a recon ciliation for the last of these, the world well knows b had a double portion of the gifts of the tongue above hi brethren; when he lived his lips dropped myrrh, and his pen the oyl of calamus, and cinnamon, the fmell where

of

of hath filled the houfe of God with fuch a perfume, as this age will never wear out. His works all praise him, and amongst them all, thofe of the mystery of godliness, and of the invisible world;' he left as a legacy, and ipecial valediction to the faints. I cannot but give much to thefe laft works of his, and efpecially to that part of the invisible world, viz. of God and his angels. Some have obferved that many holy men in their laft works, as they drew nearer to heaven fo they become more fpiritual and heavenly in their work; thus Dr. Prefton ended his works with a treatife of the knowledge of the divine effence and attributes and Mr. Bolton ended his works with a treatife of the four laft things, death, judgment, hell and heaven; and this author ended, his works with a treatise of the invifible world; and not without reafon, when our bodily eyes are glutted with the view of things that are feen (a profpect which can afford us nothing but vanity and vexation) what can be more meet, faid he, than to feed our fpiritual eyes with the light of invifible glories? It was his aim in that work, that the reader fhould afpire with him towards that happiness which is laid up above, for all thofe that love the appearance of our Lord Jefus, and therein I confpire with him, and oh that fuch might, be the iffue of all that make use of his excellent piece, or of this fender work of mine.

SEC T. VII.

Of the fayings and Proofs of Bucanus, Polanus, Dieft, Ezc., Might here bring in many foreign divines, who in this doctrine keep harmony with us. You may pleafe to hear fome of them fpeak thus in their own language.

1

(2) Bucanus in his analyfis of the heads, or commou places of Chriftian religion, taith thus; Angeli funt præcipue miniftri erectorum, Heb. i. 14 & hoc multipliciter; primum quidem in vita, idque vel dirigendo, vel defendendo, & cuftodiendo electos juxta illud, Pfal. xci. 11, 12. & omnibus ab hoftibus, & omnibus periculis vitam tuendo, Exod. xxxiii. 2. Pfùl. xxxiv. 7. vel pro clectis exequendo judicia Dei adverfus hoftes ccclefiæ ut colligitur ex Gen. xix. 10. & 2 Reg. xix. 35. Acts xii. 23. item Luggerendo mentibus piorum pias cogitationes, eofdemque movendo,

03

movendo, & ad omne bonum promovendo; nunquam enim angeli boni aliquid fuggerunt a lege Dei diverfum, Acts x. 4, 5. Gal. i. 8. & iii, 19. Acts. vii. 53. item eos juvando & confolando, Luc. i. 19. 26. Acts i. 11. 2. Regi. 15. Acts xxvii. 23, 24. Deinde in morte dum aditant prefto fidelibus in ipfo agone, adeoque ipforum animus deferunt ad coeleftem beatitudinem ut exemplo Lazari liquet, Luc. xvi. 22. Poftremo in fine fæculi, quando colligent offa omnium fidelium, ut animis denuo unita refurgant ad vitam, Matth. xxiv. 31. & feparabunt malos de medio juftorum, & mittent illos in caminum ignis, hos vero introducent in regnum cælorum, Mat. xiii. 41, 42, 43.

Polanus in his Syntagma Theologiæ Chriftianæ, faith thus, Erga homines duplex eft Angelorum officium, unum beneficia Dei difpenfare, & ministrare iis qui electi funt ad vitam æternam, ficut de illis dicitur, Heb. i. 14. & officium hoc exequuntur multis modis; primum docent electos, & revelant illis voluntatem, judicia, & myfteria, Dei annunciant opera & beneficia ejus, dubios & perturbatos de veritate inftruunt, ab erroribus atque idololatria abducant, Gen. xix. 12, 13. Dan. vi. 16. &c. Dan. ix. a verf. 21. ufque ad finem, Luc. i. 11. 26. Mat. i. 20, 21. Luc. ii. 8. Mat. xxviii. 5. Acts i. 11. and x. 3. Apoc. i. 1. & cap. ult. 16. Apoc. xix. 10. & cap. ult. v. 8, 9. Secundo, cuftodiunt boni Angeli electos contra omnia pericula animæ & corporis, contra Sathanæ, & aliorum hoftium infidias, molitiones, conatus, infultus, quemadmodum dicitur, Pfal. xxxiv. 8. Pfal. xci. 11, 12. Exempla funt plurima in Scriptura Sacra, Gen. xix. and xxviii. 12. and xxxii. 1, 2. Num. xxii. 22. & fequentibus, Dan. vi. 23. and x. 13. Acts v. 17, 18, 19. and xii. 7, 8, 9, 10. Tertio, boni Angeli tum alloquio tum deciaratione præfentiæ fuæ confolantur confternatos, afflictos, & anxios: Sic Gen. xxi. 17, 18. and xxxii. 1, 2. Ifa. vi. 6,7, Dan. x. 12. Luc. i. 30. and ii. 10. Acts x. 4. and xxvii. 23, 24. Quarto, portant Angeli fancti electorum morientium animas in cælum, ut videre eft in exemplo Lazari, Luc. xvi. 22. Quinto, in extremo illo die, & ilToftri, adventu Chrifti, cogent electos homines a quatuor

ventis,

ventis, ab extremo terræ ufque ad extremum cœli, Matth xxiv. 31. Marc. xiii. 22.Hactenus primum bonorum Angelorum officium erga homines. Alternum eft judicia Dei exequi in homines. Officium hoc exequuntur boni Angeli duobus modis; Primo in hac vita caftigationis paternæ in electos funt miniftri, Sam. xxiv. 16, 17.Secundo in ultimo die fegregabunt reprobos ab electis, Mat. xiii. 41, 42, 43.

To thefe authors I might add, Auretius, Beza, Bucer, Melanthon, Peter Martyr, Pareus; and above all, learned and godly Zanchius, but him I have often cited in the Treatife; and what needs more? it is fure (faith Mr. Byfield) that the angels are always in garrifon for the elect, pitching their tents round about them that fear God; that which Elifha and his man faw with bodily eyes, every believer may be affured of by faith, and feeing now we are thus compaffed about with fo great a cloud of witnes fes, Heb. xii. Let us in God's fear begin, and go on in the difcovery of this duty, viz. Of Ministration of, and Communion with angels.

HEB. i.

The First BOOK.

14. Are they not all miniftring Spirits, fent forth to minifter for them, who Jhall be heirs of Salvation.

CHAP. I. SECT. I.

The coherence and divifion of the words.

HE Apofle is here making a comparifon betwixt Chrift and the angels; as the world is wonderfully inclined to fuperftition, fo it is wont many times to darken the glory of Chrift, by too much exalting to angels; good reafon it is therefore that they should be pur into their place; the angels are excellent, but Chrift more excellent: The angels are glorious but Chrift more glorious:

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Now

Now the prelation of Christ before the angels, the apostle proves by feveral arguments; as, 1. From the name of Chrift, he is called God's Son; fo are not the angels; 2. From the rule and dominion of Chrift, he is the head and prince, fo are not the angels: 3. From the office and place of Chrift, he fits at God's right hand, i. e. he hath the fecond place given him after the Father, he is the Father's lieutenant, or his chief ambaffador to exercise all power; fo are not the angels; and therefore it follows that Chrift is more excellent and glorious than them all; indeed they are spirits, and therein they have a title of great excellency given them; but they are miniftring fpirits, and that takes off, and holds them within the compafs of their degree; if they but minifter, they must needs be inferior to Chrift, who is Lord over all; and tho' it may be objected, that Chrift is fometimes called a minifter, and that he came to minifter, Rom. xv. 8. Acts xx. 28. yet that is not in regard of need, but of good will, the angels do it of neceffity, but Chrift voluntarily; it is natural in the angels, but only by accident in Jefus Chrift; and therefore in all things Chrift hath the preheminency, yet let not this doctrine pafs without fome confolation to the faints and people of God; be it known to you, that as angels are miniftring fpirits, fo they are fent forth to minifter for you; are they not all miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter for them, who fhall be heirs of falvation?

You fee I had need to be careful what I fay of the angels, left that honour which should be given to God and Chrift, may in any fort redound to them. This hath

been the error of former ages, and of all errors there is almost none more ancient than this. Paul himself had much to do with fome, who fo advanced the angels, that in a manner they would have brought Chrift under fubjection, Let no man beguile you of your reward, faith he, in a voluntary humility, and worshipping of angels, Colof. ii. 18. Indeed there fhines in them fuch a brightnefs of the majefty of God, that there is nothing whereunto we are more easily drawn, than with a certain admiration to fall down in worshipping of them; this very thing John in the velation confeffeth of himself, but he addeth witbal,

that