Hebrews 1:14

The apostle having proved the pre-eminence of the Son, as mediator of the new testament, above all the angels, from those attributions of honor and glory that are made unto him in the Scriptures, the like whereunto are nowhere made forgiven unto angels, that he may not appear to argue merely negatively, from what is not said concerning them, adds in this last verse such a description of their nature and office, or work and employment, as shows that indeed no such thing can be rightly spoken or affirmed concerning them as he hath before manifested to be spoken and recorded concerning the Son.

Hebrews 1:14. Οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πςέματα, εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν ;

There is no difference in the reading, nor much about the translation of these words. [11]

[11] TRANSLATION Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to execute His service, for the sake of those who shall inherit salvation? Conybeare and Howson. ED.

Hebrews 1:14 . Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to minister to [unto a ministry for] them that shall inherit salvation?

This was the common received doctrine of the church concerning angels, suitable unto the Scripture and to the purpose of the apostle, as manifesting their disinterest in the glory before ascribed unto the Son.

Sundry things are here expressed concerning angels, which we must briefly pass through the consideration of; as,

1. Their nature. They are πνεόματα λειτουργικά, רוּחוֹת, “ruchoth,” “spirits,” spiritual subsistences; not qualities, or natural faculties, as the Sadducees imagined, and which, by a homonymy of the name, Maimonides, More Nebuch. part. 2. cap. 3., admits also to be angels, but falsely, and without authority from Scripture or reason. This is their nature, this the Hebrews acknowledged so to be; they are created spirits, not to be compared with or equalled unto Him that made and created all things.

2. Their office. They are πςεόματα λειτουργικά, “ministering spirits.” So are they termed, Psalms 103:21 “Praise the LORD, all his hosts,” מְשָׁרְתָיו LXX., λειτουργοί αὐτοῦ , “his ministers doing his will.” Hence in general the Jews call them משרתים, “ministers;” and among other titles assign this unto God, that he is יוצר משרתים, “the Creator of ministering spirits or angels.” And expressly in the Talmud they are called מלאכי דשירותא; and more frequently by the rabbins in the Hebrew dialect, מלאכי חשרת, “angels of ministry;” above whom that the Messiah was to be, we have formerly showed from themselves.

Now, what kind of office or ministry it is that is ascribed unto them, the word itself doth in part declare, שֵׁרֵת is to minister principally about holy things; nor is it above once applied unto any other ministry. And such a ministry it signifies as is performed with honor and ease; and is opposed unto עֲבֹד, which is to minister with labor and burden. So the ministry of the Levites in bearing the burden of the tabernacle is called עֲבוֹדָה, “a ministry with labor;” while the more easy and honorable employment, which was attended to by them who, by reason of their age, were exempted from bearing of burdens, is called שֵׁרֵת, Numbers 8:11; Deuteronomy 18:7. Such is the ministry of angels. It is in and about holy things, and unto themselves honorable and easy. And this שֵׁרֵת, is rendered Λειτουγρία, which expresseth sometimes such a general ministry as compriseth the whole service and worship of the church: Acts 13:2, Λειτουργούντων αὐτῶν Κυρίῳ, “As they ministered unto the Lord;” that is, attended unto the performance of all the duties of the church.

This, then, in general is the office of the angels: they are השרת מלאכי, or רחות, πςεύματα λειτουργικά, “ ministering spirits,” that wait on God in and about his holy services for the good of the church; which also in the like manner ministereth unto God in its own state and condition. And hence it is that the church and they do make up one family, Ephesians 3:15; and they are all fellow-servants in the same family with them that keep the testimony of Jesus, Revelation 19:10.

And this some of the later Jews have retained the tradition of; whence is that of Maimonides, More Nebuch. part, 2. cap. 6., which he citeth out of the Talmud: מעלה אין הקבה עושה דבר עד שנמלר בפמליא של; “The holy, blessed God doth nothing unless he consult with hissuperior family.” Only, not knowing the rise of the word פמליא, nor what it should signify, he tells us, פמליא הוא המחגה בלשין יוון, “that in the Greek tongue it signifies a host;” whereas it is purely the Latin “familia,” without the least alteration. And the description of this superior part of the family of God is given us, Daniel 7:10, “Thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.” In which words Pseudo-Dionysius, Gregory, and Aquinas, with sundry of the schoolmen, have coined a distinction of angels, into “ministrantes,” those that minister unto God, and “assistentes,” those that stand before him; whereas the whole intendment of the expression is, that all the angels stood ministering before him, as John declares the matter, Revelation 5:11. And therefore the apostle expressly here affirms that they are “all ministering spirits,” cutting off one member of their distinction. Neither is there more intended in the ministry of that upper part of the family of God than is expressed concerning the lower part of it of old: Deuteronomy 18:5, God chose the priests and the Levites לעֲמדֹ לְשָׁרֵת, ” “ to stand and to minister in the name of the LORD.” The same persons were both “assistentes” and “ministrantes;” they stood to minister before the Lord.

Now, because of this standing and ministering of angels, that is, their waiting on God in a readiness to do his will, they may be said in some sense to be the throne of God, from whence he executeth justice and judgment: for as he is called ישֵׁב הַכְּרֻובִים, Psalms 80:2, “He that dwelleth between the cherubim,” as also Psalms 99:1; so the Jews say that the thrones mentioned Daniel 7 were שרים העליונים, “the higher princes” or “angels,” as Abarbanel on the place. This, then, is their office, they are “all ministering spirits.”

3. Their execution of their office in their actual employment is here also expressed. They are “ministering spirits, εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα,” “sent out unto a ministry.” “Sent out,” that is, they are daily so, continually so, the word denoting the present time, which is always. They stand before the presence of God, and are continually sent out by him, sometimes some, sometimes others, always those that are sufficient for his work.

Now, as we observed before that λειτουργία denotes the whole family service of God, which in general is ascribed unto these children and servants of his in the upper part thereof, they being πςεύματα λειτουργικά, “ministering spirits ;” so here the execution of their work is expressed by two words, which comprise the whole ministry of the church, ἀποστολή and διακονία, “apostleship” and “laboring ministry;” and therein the harmony is still preserved that is between both parts of the family of God. And as in the service of the church, the ministers thereof do not minister unto men, but unto the Lord for and in the behalf of men, Acts 13:2; so is it with these spirits also, they are sent out to minister for the good of men, but it is the Lord unto whom they minister; his ministers they are, not ours, Psalms 103:21, though in their ministry, belonging unto the same family with believers, they are their fellow- servants: as all the servants of a king, though otherwise greatly differenced, agree in this, that they are all servants unto the same person. And these two words express both their honor, that they are immediately sent out from the presence of God, they are his apostles, as also their obedience and diligence, they undertake διακονίαν, a “ministry,” to be discharged with care and due observance of him by whom they are sent.

4. There is expressed the restriction of their ministry unto the especial object of their work and employment. It is “for them that shall be heirs of salvation.” Διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν, “for them,” for their sakes, for their good, in their behalf, “who shall inherit salvation.” Heirs they are at present, and hereafter shall inherit, or actually obtain salvation, by virtue of their heirship; that is, elect believers. Yet the apostle speaketh not of them as elect, nor yet absolutely as believers, but as heirs; which they obtain by the privilege of adoption This gives them heirship and an interest in the family of God. And the ministry of the superior part of the family in behalf of the lower respects them as such; that is, as adopted, as children, as heirs, as co-heirs with Christ, Romans 8:16-17. This privilege, I say, amongst others innumerable and inexpressible, we have by our adoption, that being admitted into the family of God, those blessed angels whose special ministry respects that family, have us under their constant care.

It is true, that the ministry of angels is not always absolutely restrained unto the church or family of God; they are employed also in the government of the world. So the angel that was sent unto Daniel affirms, “that in the first year of Darius he stood to confirm and strengthen him,”

Daniel 11:1; that is, to assist him in the wielding of his new-gotten empire: as also Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:20-21, he declares how he acted in opposition to the prince of Persia, and stirred up the prince of Grecia; that is, how he should do so in the appointed time. And so also, doubtless, are they employed about other affairs in the world, from whence much good redounds unto many who yet belong not unto the family of God. But yet two things we may here observe: First, That though this ministry of theirs was not immediately, yet it was ultimately for the church. For their sake were those mighty empires first raised, and afterwards razed to the ground. And this is that which they consider in their ministry. See Zechariah 1:8-12. And thence it appears that the prince of the kingdom of Persia, who withstood the angel, was not any angel of God, but the king of Persia himself, who labored to obstruct the work committed unto him. Secondly, That the apostle treats in this place of that immediate respect which the ministry of the angels had unto the church, because in that regard alone he carries on his comparison between them and the Son, that only being unto his purpose in hand.

But it may be objected that this their ministry will not clearly evince their inferiority and subordination unto Christ, seeing he himself also was sent, and that for the good of them who shall inherit salvation, and is thence called “The apostle of our profession.” But the differences between him and them in their being sent are so great and manifest, that his superiority unto them and pre-eminence above them is not in the least thereby impeached. He was sent by his own voluntary previous choice and condescension; they are so in pursuit of the state and condition of their creation. He was sent to minister in the “form of a servant” only for a short season, in the days of his flesh; they continue to be so from the beginning to the end of the world. He was sent unto that great and mighty work of mediation which none was worthy to undertake, none able to go through withal but himself alone, the only begotten Son of God; they are sent about the ordinary concernments of the saints: he as the Son; they as servants: he as the author of the whole work of redemption and salvation of the church; they as subordinate assistants in the particular promotion of it. The general agreement, then, of his and their being sent for the good of the church, hath so many and so great differences, in the manner, causes, and ends of it, that it no way takes off from the evidence of their subordination and subjection unto him. And with this demonstration the apostle closeth the argument he hath so long insisted on.

Of the nature of this ministry of angels for the good of them that shall inherit salvation, because it belongs not directly unto the present design of the apostle, and would, in the full consideration of it, cause a long diversion from the work in hand, I shall not treat, although it be a matter singularly deserving our meditation. For the present it may suffice us to observe, that in the government and protection of his saints here below, both as to the dispensation of grace and providence, God is pleased to make use of the ministry of angels, wherein much of their honor and our safety do consist. For a close of the whole, we may only observe the way and manner whereby the apostle proposeth this doctrine of the ministry of angels unto the Hebrews. “Are they not?” saith he. He speaks of it as a matter well known unto them, and acknowledged by them. Their nature, their dignity, and their office, were declared in the Old Testament. Thence were they instructed, that as to their nature they were spirits; in dignity, thrones, principalities, and powers; in office, ministers unto God, sent out for the good of his church. And therefore these things the apostle in sundry places takes for granted, as those that were already known and received in the church of God, Romans 8:38; Ephesians 1:20-21; Colossians 1:16. This doctrine, then, I say, was propagated from the Jews unto the Christians. And from them also came forth much of that curiosity and superstition about angels which afterwards infected the minds of many in the Christian church; for after they were forsaken of God, and began to give up themselves unto vain speculations, there was not any thing wherein the vanity of their minds did more early manifest itself than in their imaginations about angels, wherein they exercise themselves unto this day. For, to omit their monstrous figments about the original of devils, most of whom they affirm, to have been begotten by Adam on Lilith, before God formed Eve, and many to have issued from Adam and Eve severally whilst they lived separate an hundred and fifty years after the death of Abel, as later follies, it is certain that some of them began to vent curiosities about angels in the apostle's time, Colossians 2:18, and to express their fancies about their names, orders, degrees, and employments. And this they continue yet to do; although they peremptorily deny that they are to be invocated, or prayed unto, wherein they are outdone by others. Names they have invented for them innumerable, and those many of them uncouth and insignificant. Orders also, or degrees, they assign unto them; some four, some five, some seven, some nine, some thirteen, according as it hath seemed good unto this or that great master among them. From them the pseudo Dionysius, about the fourth or fifth century after Christ, took the occasion and rise of his operose figment about the celestial hierarchy; though he mixed their inventions with many Peripatetical and Pythagorean notions, Aristotle proportioned the number of the intelligences unto the spheres of the heavens; more he granted not. The Pythagoreans and Platonics asserted all things here below to be influenced by the planets in their orbs, the inferior receiving a communication of virtue from the higher, and imparting it unto them beneath. So they interpreted the exsection of Saturn by Jupiter, as that of Coelum by Saturn, to be the interception of their procreative influence, that it should not immediately be communicated unto things below but by them. Out of all these fancies did Dionysius raise his hierarchy. From the Jews he took the disposition of his angels into orders of superiority and rule; from Aristotle their number, placing an order instead of a single intelligence, to answer what is taught in the Scripture concerning their multitude; and from the Pythagorean Platonics the communication of light, knowledge, and illumination from God, by the highest to the lowest series or order, and from them to men on earth. And on this foundation, such as it is, are built the discourses of many commentators on this place, in their inquiries whether angels of the superior orders are sent forth to minister for the good of believers; which is denied by many, though by some later expositors, as Estius, Ribera, Tena, a Lapide, granted and proved, not without much ado. So hard is it sometimes for men to cast down scarecrows of their own setting up.

It remaineth only that we close our whole discourses on this chapter with some observations for our own use and instruction from this last verse; as,

I. The highest honor of the most glorious spirits in heaven is to minister unto the Lord in the service whereunto he appoints them.

This is the office, this the work of angels; and this is their honor and glory. For what greater honor can a creature be made partaker of, than to be employed in the service of his Creator? what greater glory, than to stand in the presence and to do the will of the King of heaven? If it be an honor on earth to stand before princes, dying, perishing men, and that unto them in nature and kind equal unto those before whom they stand, what is it for them who by nature are at an infinite distance from the glory of God, to stand before Him who lives for ever and ever? And surely it will be unconceivably woeful unto poor souls at the last day, to find how they despised in this world a share and interest in that service which is, and ever was, the glory and honor of angels,

II. Such is the love and care of God towards his saints laboring here below, that he sends the most glorious attendants on his throne to minister unto him in taking care of them. He who gave his only-begotten Son for them will not spare to send his holy angels unto them. Heaven and earth shall be witnesses of his care of them, and the value that he puts upon them.

Now, this being a matter of so great importance as it is unto the church's consolation, and the doctrine directly taught in the text, we may a little further inquire into it, in answer unto these two questions:

First, Wherefore is God pleased to use the ministry of angels in the dispensation of his care and good-will unto the church, the heirs of salvation, seeing he can by an almighty facility exert all the effects of it by his own immediate power?

Secondly, Unto what especial ends and purposes doth God make use of the ministry of angels for the good of them that believe?

For the FIRST of these, the principal account of it is to be resolved into his own sovereign will, wisdom, and pleasure. Thus are we always to live in a holy admiration of him, whenever we consider any of his works or ways, Romans 11:33. Herein are we to rest, and to put a stop unto all our inquiries. So it pleased him, Matthew 11:26; and he giveth no account of his matters, Job 33:12-13. This we are to acquiesce in as the great reason of all God's dispensations and ways, even his own infinite wisdom and sovereign pleasure. He alone knows what becomes his own goodness and greatness, and of creatures not one, but as he is pleased to reveal it. For can we find out the Almighty unto perfection? can we by searching find out God? Job 11:7. How shall poor, limited, finite creatures come to know what beseems the infinite Holy One to do, any otherwise but as himself declareth that he hath done it? And then we know the work is holy and wise, and such as becometh infinite perfection, because he hath done it. Herein, then, we principally rest, as to the meetness and condecency of the ministry of angels, God hath appointed it. Whereunto we may add those other reasons which the Scripture suggests unto us, as,

1. God doth it for the preserving and manifestation of the glorious order of his kingdom. God is pleased to rule his creation as a supreme Lord and King. Hence there is so often mention made in the Scripture that he is the King, the only Potentate, the Lord of lords and King of kings; as also of his throne, his kingdom, dominion, reign, and government. And God doth this, that he might thereby give an understanding of his sovereignty unto his creatures, and make way thereby for the manifestation of his glory. Now, unto a kingdom there are three things essential, rule, obedience, and order. In this kingdom, the sovereign rule is in the hand of God alone; the kingdom or monarchy is his. Obedience is the work and duty of the whole creation, every thing according to its nature, capacity, and condition. The glory of both these lies in order. Hereof there are two parts: first, That which respects the being of the creatures in their dependence on God; secondly, That which respects their operation in obedience unto him God hath in infinite wisdom endowed the works of his hands with such various natures, whereon their uses do depend, as that they are placed thereby in several ranks, series, and orders, in a useful subserviency unto one another, so far as they are advantaged thereby in their common and absolute subjection to himself. This is the order of their being. The order of their operation is such as they are fitted for by their natures, and whereby they set out the glory of this kingdom of God. Thus he takes the angels, being fitted thereunto by that place which they hold in the order of nature and being, unto the next and immediate attendance upon the throne of his kingdom. There they wait upon him, to receive and execute his commands in all the affairs of his kingdom. So are they everywhere described in the Scripture, Psalms 68,, 103; Daniel 7; Revelation 5; Isaiah 6, and elsewhere. And by this ministry of angels doth God intimate unto us the glory and order of his kingdom, his glorious and fiery throne being attended with millions of these mighty angels, ready to accomplish his will. And whereas God hath erected “imperium in imperio,” “a kingdom in a kingdom,” like the wheels within the wheels in Ezekiel's vision, namely, the economical, dispensatory kingdom of Christ in his oecumenical kingdom over the whole creation, and hath annexed thereunto the principal manifestation of his glory, rule, and dominion, those blessed ministers do principally attend the affairs thereof. And thus, though God can govern and dispose of all things “solo nutu,” by the almighty, immediate emanations of his own power, yet, for the manifestation of the glory of his kingdom, especially of that rule which is committed unto the Lord Christ, he useth the ministry of his creatures, in that order which his infinite wisdom had disposed them unto at their first creation.

2. God is pleased to do this to exercise the obedience of the angels themselves; and that upon a threefold account:

First, To keep, preserve, and rule them fitly to their state and condition. Being creatures, they have a natural and necessary dependence on God their creator; and being intellectual creatures, they have a moral dependence on him, according to a law and rule, with reference unto the utmost end whereunto they were created. This requires their constant obedience unto the will of God, without which they leave and forsake the law of their creation and condition, and also deviate from the end for which they were made. Wherefore, to exercise them unto and in this their obedience, God makes use of their ministry and service in his government of the church. And this they shall continue to do unto the end of the world, when, the course of their obedience being accomplished, they shall be everlastingly satiated with the contemplation of God's infinite excellencies, and enjoyment of him as their reward.

Secondly, That in them he might give an example of ready obedience unto the church. These angels of God, being in their nature excellent, and great in power, always ready, watchful, and free from all diversions or avocations, eminent in light and holiness, as always beholding the face of God, and filled with his grace, are proposed unto us, in their obedience and readiness to do the will of God, as an example and pattern which we are to imitate unto our utmost, though we are never able perfectly to express. And thence are we directed by our Savior to pray that we may do the will of God on earth as it is done by them in heaven.

Thirdly, That they themselves may be made partakers of this singular honor and glory, to serve the most high God in his most glorious work, the preservation and salvation of his church; for that this is their honor was before declared.

3. God employeth them in an especial manner in this ministry, for the good of them that are heirs of salvation, to manifest unto them the greatness and glory of the work of the gathering, preserving, and redemption of his church, with the value that he puts upon all the fruits of the death and concernments of the mediation of his Son Jesus Christ: for as of themselves they desire to look particularly into these things, which in general appear so glorious unto them, 1 Peter 1:12, that their delight in the wisdom and love of God may be more and more increased; so by God's dealings with his church, in whose behalf they are employed, they learn therein “the manifold wisdom of God,” and riches of his grace, Ephesians 3:10. And thus in all their employment about the saints, wherein they are sent out to minister for their good, they learn much of the wisdom and love of God; and are thereby excited to honor, applaud, glorify, and praise him. Somewhat of this they shall see in the least and meanest work toward any believer that is committed unto them. And they eternally rejoice in the overflowings of the love and grace of God, taking care of all the concernments of the poorest and meanest of his servants.

4. This is done that God may in an especial manner give glory and honor unto Jesus Christ thereby. This is his will, “that all men should honor the Son, as they honor the Father,” John 5:23. He hath therefore raised him up, and given him honor and glory, and in particular exalted him far above the angels, putting them in subjection unto him, as their head, prince, ruler, and governor, Ephesians 1:20-22. Neither is it a show of glory, or a titular kingdom and dominion, that he hath given to Jesus Christ, but a real and absolute sovereignty, wherein all things subject unto him are at his absolute disposal; and therefore must the angels themselves be at his service in the affairs of his kingdom; and so they acknowledge themselves to be, and the fellow-servants of them that keep his testimony, Revelation 19:10. Now, the heart and love of Jesus Christ is greatly set upon that part of his church or people which are laboring with sin, affliction, and persecution here below, Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 4:15. It is, then, greatly for his honor and glory (which in all things the Father aimeth at, Colossians 1:18-19) that the glorious angels should be employed for the good and in the behalf of all his poor laboring saints. This honor is done to Jesus Christ in heaven, when all the attendants of the throne of God do see the care that is taken about the meanest that believe in him.

5. The love, and care, and condescension of God unto his saints are hereby manifested unto the saints themselves. God employeth the angels for their good, that they may know how he careth for them, and be comforted thereby, Psalms 90:11. The saints of God have mean and low thoughts of themselves, as it becomes them to have. They know and confess that they are less than all the mercies of God, and unworthy that he should have any regard of them. Such thoughts as these their mean terrene condition, and their manifold sins and failings, do fill them withal. Of the glorious angels their thoughts and apprehensions are high and honorable. Their nature, their state and condition, their power and greatness, their holiness, and enjoyment of the presence of God, do all present them unto their minds under a notion of much excellency and glory. Hence some weak, superstitious, and curious minds, have been drawn to adore them with religious worship and adoration. The saints know sufficiently the folly hereof. But yet, when they consider that God is pleased to use, employ, and send out these glorious spirits, to take care of them, to do them good, to watch over them and round about them, to keep them from evil, this fills them as with a holy admiration of the infinite love and condescension of God towards them, so also of the excellency of the mediation of the Lord Christ, who hath brought them into this condition of favor; from both which much spiritual comfort and rejoicing in the Lord do arise. And for this end also doth God choose to do that mediately, by the ministry of angels, which otherwise, by an inconceivable facility, he could do by his own immediate power.

6. A blessed intercourse, society, communion, and fellowship is maintained and kept up between the several parts of the family of God, that of angels above, and this of believers below. It hath been formerly declared how the angels in heaven and all elect believers were reduced into one family, when God reconciled the things in heaven and earth unto himself, and brought them all into subjection unto and dependence upon one common head, Christ Jesus, Ephesians 1:10. From hence are angels and men reduced into one family, the family in heaven and earth; the angels by transition, men by adoption. Now it is the will of God, that, for the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ, the immediate head of this family, there should be an intercourse and a helpful communion between the several parts of it; for to this end are we brought into the society of the “innumerable company of angels,” Hebrews 12:22. Now, because our goodness, our usefulness, our helpfulness, are confined and limited unto the “saints that are on the earth,” Psalms 16:2-3, not extending itself unto God, or any of his holy ones above, we cannot help, assist, counsel, nor advise the angels; nor do they in any thing stand in need of our aid or assistance. And since the communication of our minds unto them, by way of religious subjection, adoration, faith, trust, affiance, is absolutely forbidden unto us, it remaineth that this fellowship and society must be maintained by the aid, help, and assistance which they are able to afford unto us, and which we stand in need of. And on this account doth God employ them about the affairs and concernments of believers, that so a becoming fellowship may be kept up in the family of Christ, and a usefulness between the several parts thereof. 7. God makes use of the ministry of angels in the service of the church to reproach, awe, restrain, and torment the devil. It is a continual reproach cast upon Satan, when he sees those unto whom he is like in nature, and with whom he was some time a companion in glory, willingly, cheerfully, triumphantly obeying the will of God in the service of Christ; having by his wickedness cast out himself from the same honorable employment, and mancipated himself to the vilest services that any part of the creation of God is cast down unto. The whole work of the angels is a continual reproach unto Satan for his sin and folly. It cries unto him, ‘This might have been thy work, this might have been thy condition;'the gnawing of which consideration is no small part of his torment and present restless vexation. They also put an awe upon him in all his attempts. He knows well their power, their authority, their commission, and that it is not for him to contend with them. With one word they can at any time defeat him: “The Lord rebuke thee, Satan; the Lord rebuke thee.” And he knows not where he may meet with them in his attempts. And this keeps him in continual awe and perpetual uncertainty of success in all that he undertakes or goes about. And hereby God also in many things frustrates his endeavors, restrains his power, and disappoints his malice. It is inconceivable what havoc he would make of the lives, and liberties, and estates of the saints, did not these watchers from the Holy One disappoint him. And all these things add to his torment. Much of his present punishment consists in the endless workings of wrath, envy, malice, blood-thirstiness, and rage. Now, as these, wherever they are found but in the least degree, are tormenting passions, so where they are all in their height, rage, and fury, and are not by any considerable vent abated or slacked, what can be worse in hell itself but only the immediate wrath of God? But thus it is with Satan from this ministry of angels. He sees the church and every member of it, all whom he seeks to devour, encamped about, protected, and defended by this heavenly host, so that he cannot in any measure have his will of them; nay, that he cannot touch the soul of any one of them, nor cause a hair of the head of any one of them to perish. This fills him with self-devouring rage, envy, and wrath. And thus doth God by this way accomplish his judgment upon him.

And these are some of the reasons which the Scripture intimates unto us why the Lord is pleased thus to make use of the ministry of angels; which may suffice for an answer to the first question before proposed. The SECOND is, Unto what ends and purposes doth God make use of the ministry of angels for the good of them that do believe?

The thing itself we suppose in both these questions. It is so directly asserted in the words of the apostle, and so many instances are given of it elsewhere in the Scripture, that it needs not any especial confirmation. It will also be further declared in our enumeration of the ends and purposes of it ensuing; as,

1. In general, God doth it to communicate by them the effects of his care and love unto the church by Jesus Christ. This God represented unto Jacob in the vision that he gave him of the ladder which stood upon the earth, and whose top reached unto heaven, Genesis 28:12-13; for although the Jews say somewhat to the purpose when they affirm this ladder to have denoted the dependence of all things here below on them above, under the rule of the providence of God, yet they say not all that was signified thereby. Our Savior tells us, John 1:51, that hereafter his disciples should see “heaven open, and angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man,” plainly alluding unto this vision of Jacob: for these words ἐπὶ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, “upon the Son of man,” cannot denote merely the object of angelical ministration, that they should be exercised in their work about his person; but also that by him, by means of his mediation, the angels ascend and descend in the work of ministering unto the saints. It is true, the great instance of their ministry was given in and about the person of Christ, as head of the church. They declared his conception and nativity, Matthew 1:20-21; Luke 1:35; Luke 2:10-14; they ministered unto him after his temptation, Matthew 4:11; they strengthened him in his agony, Luke 22:43; they were witnesses of his resurrection and ascension, Luke 24:4; Acts 1:10-11. But by him and on his account they perform the offices of their mission towards others also, even all the heirs of salvation, but this still upon the account of Christ. They ascend and descend on his mediation, sent by his authority, aiming at his glory, doing his work, carrying on his interest, as in the following particulars will appear: for,

1. They are sent in an extraordinary manner to make revelations of the will of God, about things tending unto the obedience and spiritual advantage of them that do believe. Hereof we have many instances in the Old Testament, especially in God's dealing with the patriarchs before the giving of the law. For although the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God himself, did often appear unto them, as to Abraham, Genesis 18:1-2, with Genesis 19:24; and unto Jacob, Genesis 32:24, whom he calls המַּלְאַךְ הַנּאֵֹל, Genesis 48:16; yet God also made frequent use of created angels in the revelation and discovery of his mind and will unto them, as is evident from many passages in their story. That he used their ministration in the giving of the law we have before abundantly showed, the Holy Ghost declaring and affirming it, Psalms 68:17-18; Acts 7:53. The like also he continued to do in the visions of them granted unto the prophets that ensued unto the end of that dispensation, especially unto Ezekiel and Zechariah. So also the same was done under the New Testament, as, to omit others, we have an especial instance, Revelation 1:1. How far God is pleased to continue this ministration of angels unto this day is hard to determine: for as many have pretended unto revelations by angels, which have been mere delusions of Satan or imaginations of their own brains, so to say that God doth not or may not send his angels unto any of his saints, to communicate his mind unto them as to some particulars of their own duty, according unto his word, or to foreshow unto them somewhat of his own approaching work, seems, in my judgment, unwarrantably to limit the Holy One of Israel. Howbeit such things in particular are to be duly weighed with sobriety and reverence.

2. God by them suggests good motions unto the minds of his saints. As the devil sets himself on work to tempt them unto evil, by suggestions suited unto the principle of sin within them, so God employs his holy angels to provoke them to that which is good, by suggesting that unto them which is suitable unto the principle of spiritual life and grace that is in them And as it is difficult to discover the suggestions of Satan in most cases from the workings of our own minds and our unbelief in them; partly because of their connaturalness one to the other, and partly because his impressions are not sensible, nor produce any effects but as they mix themselves with our own darkness and lusts: so it is no less difficult distinctly to take notice of these angelical motions, upon the like account on the other hand; for being suitable unto the inclinations of that principle of grace which is in the hearts of believers, and producing no effect but by them, they are hardly discerned. So that we may have the benefit of many angelical suggestions of good things which we ourselves take no notice of. And if it be inquired how these good motions from angels are or may be distinguished from the motions of the Holy Ghost, and his actings in believers, I answer, that they are differenced sundry ways; as,

(1.) These angelical motions are “ab extra,” from without. Angels have no inbeing in us, no residence in our souls, but work upon us as an external principle; whereas the Holy Spirit abideth with us, and dwelleth in us, and works “ab intra,” from within the very principles of our souls and minds Whence it follows,

(2.) That these angelical motions consist in occasional impressions on the mind, fancy, and imagination, by advantages taken from outward objects and present disposition of the mind, rendering it meet to receive such impressions, and so disposing it to affect the heart, the will, and the affections; whereas the Holy Ghost closeth in his operations with all the faculties of the soul, really and immediately exciting every one of them to gracious actings, according to their nature and quality. Whence also it appears,

(3.) That angelical motions communicate no strength, power, or ability unto men to act, do, or perform the good which they guide and direct unto; only, they provoke and stir up men to act and exert the strength which they have in the duties that they are minded of; but the Holy Ghost in his motions doth really communicate spiritual grace, strength, and power unto the faculties of the soul, enabling them unto a right performance of the duties proposed unto them. And,

(4.) Whereas an gelical impressions are transient, and abide not at all in themselves, but only in the effects which the mind warned and excited by them doth produce, there is a constant, abiding, effectual work of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of believers, enabling them to will and to do according unto his good pleasure. And this is a second part of the ministry of angels in particular, the benefit whereof we are oftener made partakers of than perhaps we are aware. And these motions, which are an effect of their ministry, the Sadducees of old took to be angels, denying all spiritual subsistences from whom they should proceed.

3. God sends forth his angels unto this ministry for the good of believers, to preserve them from many dangers and ruinous casualties that would otherwise befall them. Much of the design of Psalms 91 is to acquaint us therewithal; for though the charge of angels is expressed only in Psalms 91:11-12, yet as the expression there, of keeping us in all our ways, that we stumble not, is comprehensive of all the dangers which we are or may be exposed unto, so this same work of theirs respects all the evils and casualties enumerated in the beginning of the psalm. And to this purpose also is it said that the angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him, as they did about Elisha of old, namely, to preserve them from the dangers that they are exposed unto. Nor is this impeached by the observation of the evils, troubles, calamities, and miseries that befall the people of God; for God hath not given his angels a commission to act “ad ultimum virium,” to the utmost of their strength, “viis et modis,” for the preservation of his, but only to act according to his especial good pleasure; and this they always do. Now, it is the will of God that his saints should be exercised with various troubles and calamities, for the trial of their faith and obedience. But yet, in the ordering and management of these calamitous accidents or troubles, they have no less benefit by the ministry of angels than they have in respect of those from which they are preserved by them; for inasmuch as they also are designed and ordered for their good, their exposing to them in their seasons, supportment under them during their continuance, and deliverance from them in the appointed time thereof, are all signal mercies which they receive by the ministry of angels.

4. By this ministry of angels doth God in particular preserve us from the sudden and violent incursions of Satan. Satan in the Scripture is called a serpent, from his subtlety and lying in wait to do mischief; and a lion, from his rage, and fury, and spoiling from his lurking-places. And as the one or the other he continually seeks the harm, mischief, and ruin of the whole man; not only of our souls, in sin and desert of punishment, but of our bodies, in our lives, health, and welfare. Hence we find so many in the Gospel troubled with bodily infirmities from the assaults and impressions of Satan. And what he prevails to do against any one, that he is continually attempting against all the whole seed of Abraham. Hereunto also belong all those hurtful terrors, affrightments, and surprisals, which he endeavoreth by himself and his agents to cast upon us. Had he his liberty, he would make our whole lives to be filled with disappointments, horrors, vain fears, and perplexities, if he could proceed no further. Now in all these designs it is more than probable that he is prevented by the ministry of angels. We find, in the 1st of Job, that in all the devil's walks in the earth for the executing of his malice, the angels still observe him, and are ready to answer him when he comes with his accusations against the saints into the presence of the Lord. And hereon depends the safety and security of our lives, without which Satan would by all means continually attempt to fill them with terrors, vexations, losses, and troubles. Not one of us should escape him any better than Job did, when God for a season suspended his protection over his relations, possessions, and enjoyments.

5. They are in their ministry appointed to be witnesses of the obedience, sufferings, and worship of the disciples of Christ, that they may give testimony unto them before God, and in the great assembly of the last day; so glorifying God for the grace bestowed upon them and the assistance afforded unto them. Thus Paul tells us that the apostles in their preaching and sufferings were made “a spectacle unto angels,” 1 Corinthians 4:9. The holy angels of God looked on, rejoicing to behold how gloriously they acquitted themselves in the work and ministry committed unto them. And to this end doth he charge Timothy before “the elect angels” to look unto and discharge aright the work of an evangelist, 1 Timothy 5:21, because they were appointed of God to be witnesses of his faithfulness and diligence therein. And it is not improbable but he hath respect unto the presence of angels in the assemblies of the saints for the worship of God, where he enjoins modesty and sobriety unto women in them on their account, 1 Corinthians 11:10. And from that particular instance a general rule may be drawn for the observation of comeliness and order in all our assemblies, namely, from the presence of these holy witnesses at all our solemn worship; for church-assemblies are the court, the dwelling- place, the throne of Jesus Christ, and therefore in them he is in an especial manner attended by these glorious ministers of his presence. And therefore, although a holy regard unto God and our Lord Jesus Christ himself be the first and principal motive unto a right and holy acquitment of ourselves in all our obedience, sufferings, and worship, yet in subordination thereunto we may have also respect unto the angels, as those who are employed by him to be witnesses of our ways and carriage, such a respect, I mean, as may administer occasion unto them to glorify God in Christ on our behalf, that so all the honor may finally redound unto him alone.

6. God useth the ministry of angels to avenge his elect of their enemies and persecutors, to render unto them a recompense and vengeance even in this world, in the due and appointed season. Thus by an angel he destroyed the army of Sennacherib, when he intended and threatened the destruction of Jerusalem; and by an angel he smote Herod, in the midst of his pride and persecution, Acts 12. And this ministry of theirs is in an especial manner pointed unto in several places of the Revelation, where the judgments of God are foretold to be executed on the persecutors of the world. And this work they wait for in a holy admiration of the patience of God towards many a provoking generation, and are in a continual readiness to discharge it unto the uttermost when they shall receive their commission so to do, Daniel 7.

7. They carry the souls departed into Abraham's bosom, Luke 16:22.

8. Lastly, The ministry of angels respects the general resurrection and day of judgment. The Lord Christ is everywhere described coming to judgment at the last day attended with all his holy and glorious angels, Matthew 24:31; Matthew 25:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Jude 1:14-15. And great shall be their work towards the elect in that day, when the Lord Christ “shall be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe;” for although the work of the resurrection, like that of the creation, is to be effect by the immediate operation of almighty power, without the interveniency of any secondary, finite agents, limited in their power and operation, yet many things preparatory thereunto and consequent thereon shall be committed unto the ministry of angels. By them are the signs and tokens of it to be proclaimed unto the world; to them is the sounding of the last trumpet and general summons given out unto all flesh to appear before Jesus Christ committed, with all the glorious solemnity of the judgment itself. And as they bear and accompany the departing souls of the saints into the receptacles of their rest in heaven, so doubtless also shall they accompany them in their joyful return unto their beloved old habitations, By them also will the Lord Christ gather them together from all parts wherein their redeemed bodies have been reduced into dust; and so also at length by them bring all the heirs of salvation triumphantly into the full possession of their inheritance.

And thus much may suffice to have spoken about the ministry of angels, here mentioned by the apostle; by all which it further appears how neither in their nature nor their office they are any way to be compared with the Son of God in his ministry towards the church. Some deductions also, for our special use and instruction, may here be added from what hath been spoken; as,

1. That we ought to be very careful to use sobriety in our speculations and meditations about this matter. Herein doth the caution of the apostle take place in an especial manner, that we should be wise unto sobriety, Romans 12:3, and not to think ourselves wise above that which is written. This some neglecting of old, and endeavoring to intrude themselves into the things which they had not seen, Colossians 2:18, that is, boasting of the knowledge and acquaintance with angels, which they had no ground for nor any safe instruction in, fell into pride, curiosity, superstition, and idolatry, as the apostle in that place declareth. And almost in all ages of the church men have failed on this account. The curiosity of the Jews we did in some measure before manifest. To them in their imaginations succeeded the Gnostics, whose portentous aeons and genealogies of inferior deities, recounted by Irenaeus, Origen, Tertullian, Epiphanius, and others of the ancients, were nothing but wicked and foolish imaginations about angels. Unto them succeeded those about the beginning of the fourth century, who flatly worshipped angels, and had conventicles, or private meetings, for that purpose, who are expressly condemned in the 35th canon of the council of Laodicea, anno 364, in these words:

῝Οτι οὐ δεῖ Χριστιανοὺς ἐγκαταλείπειν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀπιέναι, καὶ ἀγγέλους ὀςομάζειν καὶ συνάξεις ποιεῖν, ἅπερ ἀπαγορεύεται· εἴ τις ου῏ν εὐρεθῇ ταύτῃ τῇ κεκρυμμένῃ εἰδωλολατρείᾳ σχολάζων ἔστω ἀςάθεμα· ὅτι ἐγκατέλιπε τὸν Κύριον ἠμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦν Κριστὸν τὸν Ψἱόν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ εἰδωλολατρίᾳ προσῆλθον·

wherein they plainly adjudge that practice to be idolatry and apostasy from Jesus Christ. After these, about the end of the fourth or beginning of the fifth century, he vented his curious speculations about their hierarchy, orders, and operations, who personated Dionysius the Areopagite; of whom we spake before. From them all did that sink of idolatry, superstition, and heresies, the church of Rome, derive her present speculations, adoration, worship, and invocation of angels. But as these things are all of them without, beside, and against the word in general, so they are in particular expressly prejudged and condemned by the apostle, in the place to the Colossians before mentioned. And of such kind of needless, useless, unprofitable, dangerous speculations we are to beware; and many of them I could in particular recite, but that I would not teach them unto any by condemning them before all. But yet,

2. Danger should not deter us from duty. Because some have miscarried in this matter, we ought not therefore wholly to neglect it, there being so great a concernment of the glory of God and our own good enwrapped therein. Had others erred or wandered indeed, because they had neither way to walk in nor guide to attend unto, it had been sufficient to restrain us from attempting any thing in this matter; but whereas it is evident that they wilfully neglected the way, or pressed farther than the paths of it led them, and despised their guide, following their own imagination instead thereof, shall others be discouraged in their duty, whereas they may avoid their miscarriages? Wary, indeed, this may and ought to make us in our inquiries, but not neglective of our duties. We have the word of God for our way and guide. If we go not besides it, if we go not beyond it, we are as safe when we treat of angels as if we treated of worms. We have seen in part of what signal use their ministry is as unto our good, and the glory of Jesus Christ. And it is pride to the height, not to inquire after what may be known, because there are many things that we may not know nor comprehend. If that take place, it will debar us from all search into the mysteries of the gospel; for upon our utmost attainment we know but in part. God's revelation is the object of our knowledge. So far as that is made and given, so far we may inquire and learn. Besides, it is the height of ingratitude, not to search after what may be known of this great privilege and mercy whereof we are made partakers in the ministry of angels. God hath neither appointed nor revealed it for nothing; he expects a revenue of praise and glory for it; but how can we bless him for it when we know nothing of it? This ministry of angels, then, is that which, with sobriety, we are in a way of duty to inquire into.

3. Let us on this account glorify God and be thankful. Great is the privilege, manifold are the blessings and benefits, that we are made partakers of by this ministry of angels Some of them have been before recounted. What shall we render for them? and to whom? Shall we go and bow ourselves down to the angels themselves, and pay our homage of obedience unto them? They all cry out with one accord, “See you do it not; we are your fellow-servants.” What shall we do then? Why, say they, “Worship God.” Glorify and praise him who is the God of all angels, who sends them, who employs them, unto whom they minister in all that they do for us. Let us bless God, I say, for the ministry of angels.

Moreover, these words afford us other instructions, which I shall only name, and put a close unto our discourses on this chapter; as,

III. The Socratical fancy of one single guardian angel attending every one, as it is, if admitted, a real impeachment of the consolation of believers, so a great inducement unto superstition and idolatry. The further evidencing of this truth I remit unto what hath been already delivered about the ministry of angels in general.

IV. Believers obtain heaven by inheritance and free gift of their Father, and not by any merit of their own. Heirs among men claim their inheritance “jure nascendi,” because they are born unto it, not because they deserve it better than others. Believers look for theirs “jure adoptionis,” by right of adoption, whereby they become sons, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Jesus Christ.