at first heathens; because it was the religion of their SERM. country, and they were born and bred up in it: but LXXIV, chriftianity was the religion of their choice, and there were no motives to perfuade them to the profeffion of that religion, but what were as powerful to oblige them to the practice of it. Let us also be Christians, not only by custom, but by choice; and then we shall live according to our religion.

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He that takes up a religion, for any other reason, than to obey and practife it, does not chuse a religion, but only counterfeits the choice of it. We have beyond comparison the best and most reasonable religion in the world, a religion that hath the greatest evidence of its truth, that contains the best precepts, and gives men the greatest assurance of a future happiness, and directs them to the surest way of attaining it: now the better our religion is, the worse are we, if we be not made good by it. The philofophy of the heathen, made some virtuous: and there were many eminent faints under the imperfection of the jewish institution. What degrees then of holiness and virtue may be expected from us, upon whom the glorious light of the gospel shineth so brightly?

I will conclude all, with the words of the apostle, Heb. ii. 1, 2, 3, 4. "Therefore we ought to give "the more earnest heed to the things which we have "heard, left at any time we should let them flip. " For if the word spoken by angels was stedfaft, and " every transgression and disobedience received a just "recompence of reward: how shall we escape, if " we neglect so great falvation, which at the first "began to be spoken by the Lord, and was con"firmed unto us by them that heard him; GOD also " bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, " and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy "Ghost, according to his own will?"

SER

:

Preached on the

feaft of St.

Michael.

SERMON LXXV.

The nature, office, and employment of good angels.

LXXV.

HEB. I. 14.

Are they not all ministring spirits fent forth to minifter for them who shall be heirs of falvation.

T

SERM. HIS is spoken of good angels, whose exiftence, as well as that of evil spirits, the scriptures both of the old and new testament, do every where take for granted, no less than they do the being of God, and the immortality of the foul. And well they may, since they are all founded upon the general consent of all ages, derived down to us from the first spring and original of mankind; of which general consent and tradition, it is one of the hardest things in the world to assign any good reafon, if the things themselves were not true. Therefore I shall not go about to force my way into this argument concerning the existence of spirits, and beings diftinct from matter, by dint of dispute (which perhaps would neither be so proper, nor so profitable for this assembly) but shall take the thing as I find it received by a general consent of mankind. And fo the books of divine revelation do: nor was there reason to proceed in any other method, than to fuppose these things, and take them for granted, as generally afsented to by mankind, without either afsferting them for new discoveries, or attempting to

prove what was so univerfally believed. The fcrip-SERM.

LXXV.

tures indeed have more particularly declared the nature of thefe fpirits, as also their order and employment; as in the words which I have read to you, where the office and employment of good angels is more particularly discovered; " are they not all (says the text) " ministring spirits, fent forth to mi" nifter for them who shall be heirs of falvation?"

The author of this epistle to the Hebrews having had occafion, in comparing the two difpenfations of the law and the gospel, to speak of the angels, by whose ministry the law was given, did not think fit to entertain those to whom he wrote, with any nice and curious fpeculations (for school divinity was not then in fafhion) about the nature and order of angels; but tells us, what it concerns us more to know, namely, what their office and employment is in regard to us. Concerning their nature, he only tells us, that they are spirits; as to their office and employment, he says in general, that they are miniftring spirits, that is, that they stand before GOD to attend upon him, ready to receive his commands, and to execute his pleasure: more particularly, that they are upon occafion appointed and fent forth by GOD to minifter on the behalf, and to do good offices "for them that shall be heirs of falvation." Which laft words are a description of pious and good men, fuch as had fincerely embraced the chriftian religion, and were thereby become the children of God, and heirs of eternal falvation. So that these words are a brief summary of the doctrine of good angels, and of what the scripture has thought fit to reveal to us concerning them: which may be referred to these three heads.

First, their nature; " are they not spirits?

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Secondly,

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SERM. Secondly, their general office and employment; LXXV. " are they not ministring spirits?"

Thirdly, their special office and employment, in regard to good men, "they are sent forth to mi" nifter for them" (that is, in their behalf, and for " their benefit) " who shall be heirs of salvation."

And this is as much as is necessary for us to know concerning them; and all this is very agreeable to the general apprehenfion of mankind; but the scripture hath very much cleared and confirmed to us, that which was more obscure and less certain before. I shall briefly explain and illustrate these three heads, and then draw some useful inferences from the whole.

First, 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, divested of matter, and all kind of corporeal vehicle (as the philosophers term it) hath been a great controversy, but I think of no great moment and consequence. Not only the ancient philofophers, but fome of the ancient christian fathers, did believe angels to be clothed with some kind of bodies, confifting of the purest 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 simple spirit, wholly separate from matter: but the more current opinion of the christian church (especially of latter times) hath been, that angels are mere and pure spirits, without any thing that is material and corporeal belonging to them; but yet so, that they have power to assume thin and airy bodies, and can when they please appear in human shape, as they are frequently in fcripture faid to have done. And this seems most agree

able to the scripture account of them; though ISERM. think it is no necessary article of faith, either to be- LXXV. lieve that they are clothed with fome kind of bodies, or that they are wholly divested of matter.

But however this be, they are described in scripture to be endowed with great excellencies and perfections; they are faid " to excel in strength," Pfal. ciii. 20. and in knowledge and wisdom. Hence are those expressions of "being as an angel of God, to " difcern good and bad," 2 Sam. xiv. 17. " Wife,

"according to the wisdom of an angel," ver. 20. To be of great activity and swiftness in their motions; hence it is that they are represented in scripture, as " full of wings:" and to excel in purity and holiness; hence is that title given them in scripture, of "the holy angels." This is the sum of what the fcripture hath in several places delivered to us, concerning the nature and properties of good angels; and beyond this, all our knowledge of them is mere conjecture and uncertainty, and the nice speculations concerning them, idle and wanton curiosities. Indeed the scripture gives sufficient intimation of several ranks and orders among them, by calling Michael an archangel, and chief prince, and by diftinguishing them by the names of " prin

cipalities, and powers, and thrones, and domi"nions:" but what the difference of these names import, though fome have attempted to explain, yet I do not find that they have discovered any thing to us, besides their own ignorance and arrogance, in pretending to be "wife above what is "written; intruding into those things which they "have not feen, being vainly puft up in their "fleshly minds;" as the apostle censures fome in

his time.

VOL. V.

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