II.

ple are not fo fenfible of this Particular, S ER M. is, that Modefty reftrains us from inculcating this Point too frequently upon you) but 'tis a juft Vindication of our felves; for how otherwife can we act in the Name of God, or pretend to be the Embajadors of Chrift Jefus? Though the chief End for which Chrift intended a Succeffion of his Minifters was, undoubtedly, for the fake of all honeft Chriftian People, that they might have all reasonable Security, that they who tranfact between God, and the Souls of Men, do it not of their own Head, or bý a Commiffion from the Magiftrate, or People, but from him who is the Author of our Faith. And bear with me, if I have this once, when our Order and Commiffion has been thus rudely and barbarously affaulted, told you this important and seasonable Truth.

2. As we have no Reafon to doubt, but your Zeal for Truth and Christianity is as real and fincere, and burns as warm, as that of those who diffent from us, though it don't blaze fo much; fo let me advise you to fhew it by a conftant and devout Attendance upon our holy Miniftrations, and above all, that you would with-well doing put to Silence the Ignorance of all Gain-fayers: For this is the moft

SER M.moft fure and infallible Means to promote the Intereft of our Church.

11.

3. In order to this, that you would cultivate a good Understanding with your fpiritual Guides, for 'tis impoffible Religion can ever thrive, while Pastors and People entertain Jealoufies, and keep at a distance from one another. In this One Thing I will venture to recommend to you the Example of our Diffenters, who do not in any one Thing do grea ter Service to their Caufe, than in crying up the Virtues and Abilities of their Teachers, and in a clofe Adherence to them. We defire not an implicit Obedience; we defire nothing of you, but what we can prove to be your Duty from Scripture, and what is your Intereft, as well as Glory. Only let us have your good Will and Affections, that we may the better be able to bear the Calumnies and Reproaches of unreasonable Men. And as many as are of this Mind, Peace be upon them, and Mercy, and upon the Ifrael of God.

SER

SERMON III.

O F

The Nature and Office of the
HOLY ANGELS.

133

PSAL. cili, 20.

O praise the Lord, ye Angels of his, ye that excell in Strength, and hearken to the Voice of his Words.

III.

HEN the Pfalmift here calls up-SER M. on the Angels to praife, or blefs God, we are not to imagine that he thought they wanted a Spur to quicken their Devotion; much lefs could he fuppofe, that he himself, or any mortal Man, was fit to be a Monitor to fuch moft excellent Creatures. His Meaning only was to exprefs his Approbation, and give his Applaufe to the cheerful Services,

I 3

SER M. Services, which these noble Spirits are always performing to their God; as if he had faid, Sing on ye happy Creatures, proceed to glorify your, Sovereign Lord, as ye do, and ever did; never defift from fo honourable an Employ, fo worthy of your felves; continue to chaunt your Hymns and Anthems, till I my felf, and all the Spirits of juft Men made perfect are fit to join with you in magnifying our great Creator.

I cannot fpend my Time here more feasonable on this Day, and at the fame Time fpeak more clofely to the Words of my Text, than by difcourfing on Angels, the Angels of Light, as St. Paul calls them, 2 Cor. xi. 14. the Angels that kept their firft Eftate, or Dignity and Habitation, as St. Jude fpeaks. For these only are meant in my Text, and therefore to thefe alone I fhall confine my following Difcourfe. I fhall confider,

1

I. The Nature of thefe heavenly Creatures, fo far as we can know it from Scripture, or by the Help of our own Reason.

II. Their several Ranks and Degrees.

III. Their Offices both in Relation to God and to us.

First I fhall confider their Nature, by SER M obferving that,

1. They are the prime and moft ex-.. cellent of God's Creatures.

2. The particular Qualities and Advantages in which they excell all other Beings, except God alone.

1. They are certainly the prime of God's Creatures, of all, at leaft, that we have any Knowledge or Information. It seems very evident, that they were made even before the Earth it felf. That this was the Sentiment of the best and most knowing Men of old, appears from Job xxxviii. 6, 7. where it is faid, When the Foundations of the Earth were faftened, and the Corner-Stone thereof laid, the Morning Stars Jang together, and all the Sons of God fhouted for Joy. By the Sons of God all, I think, understand Angels. And they who expreffed their Joy when the Earth was founded, muft have been created before that Time. Mofes, in the Hiftory of the Creation, mentions not the making of Angels, which gives Room to us to fuppofe, that they had a Beginning more antient than the prefent World. Some have indeed fuppofed, that the Angels were created by Virtue of the first Fiat, or Command of God, viz. Let there