Boot 4. That God maketh use of the ministry of angels in sup- porting and comforting his afflicted servants.
334 Christ's temptation. [Ser, VII.
He did so to Christ, he doth so to the people of Christ. Partly for the defence and comfort of the godly : Ps. xxxiv. 7, ' The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them ;' Heb. i. 14, ' Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be the heirs of salvation ?' Their ministry is now invisible, but yet certain. And partly also for the terror of their ene- mies. AVhen David had said, ' The Lord hath chosen the hill of Sion to dwell in,' Ps. Ixviii. 16, he adds, ver. 17, ' The chariots of Grod are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels ; ' implying that no kingdom in the world hath such defence, and such potent and numer- ous armies as the church hath, and the kingdom of Christ. God hath fixed his residence there, and the angels serve him, and attend upon him ; and he will be no less terrible to his Joes in Sion, that oppose the gospel, than he showed himself in Sinai, when he gave the law. Where the king is there his attendants are ; so where Christ is the courtiers of heaven take up their station. Now Christ is with his church to the end of the world, therefore these thousands of angels are there, ready to be employed by him. Now we may be sure of this ministry.
1. They delight in the preaching of the gospel, and the explication of the mysteries of godliness : 1 Pet. i. 12, ' Which things the angels desire to look into ; ' Eph. iii. 10, 'To the end that now, unto the prin- cipalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.'
2. They delight in the holy conversation of the godly, as they are offended with all impurity, filthiness, and ungodliness. If good men be offended at the sins of the wicked, as ' Lot's righteous soul was vexed from day to day with their ungodly deeds,' 2 Pet. ii. 8, much more are these holy spirits, especially when all things are irregularly carried in the worship of God : 1 Cor. xi. 10, ' For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, because of the angels;' 1 Tim. v. 21, ' I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things, without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.'
3. They fight against the devil, and defend the godly in their ex- treme dangers. When the devil cometh into the church of God, like a wolf into the flock, they oppose and resist him. Therefore there is said to be war in heaven, that is, in the church, between Michael and his angels, and the devil and his angels : Kev. xii. 7, ' And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels.' In the highest heaven there is no war. In short, the angels and believers make one church, under one head, Christ ; and at length shall both live together in the same place.
Why doth God make use of the ministry of angels ? and how far ?
1. To manifest unto them the greatness and glory of his work in the recovering mankind, that their delight in the love and wisdom of God may be increased. All holy creatures delight in any manifesta- tion of God, the angels more especially : 1 Pet. i. 12, ' Which things the angels desire to look into ;' Eph. iii. 11, 'To the intent that now, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, may be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.' Though they themselves be not the parties interested, the spectators, not the guests ; yet they
Mat. IV. 11.] Christ's TEMPTATION. 335
are delighted in the glory of God, and are kindly affectionated to the salvation of lost men ; and that they may h?.ve a nearer view of this mystery, God gratitieth them by sending them often to attend upon the dispensation of the gospel, and to assist in it so far as is meet for creatures. They are present in our assemblies : see 1 Cor. xi. 10, 1 Tim. V. 21. They see who is negligent in his office, who hindereth the preaching of the gospel ; they observe what is the success of it, and when it obtaineth its effect: Luke xv. 7, ' There shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.' They are hereby more excited to praise and glorify God, and are careful to vouchsafe their attend- ance about the meanest that believe in him : Ps. xci. 11, 12, 'He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.'
2. To maintain a society and communion between all the parts of the family of God. When God gathered together the things in heaven and in earth, he brought all into subjection and dependence upon one common head, Jesus Christ: Eph. i. 10, ' That in the dis- pensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him.' Men by adoption, angels by transition, are taken into the family of Christ. Now there is some intercourse between the several parts thereof. Our goodness extendeth not to them, but is con- fined to the saints on earth, in whom should be our delight ; yet their help may be useful to us, they being such excellent and glorious creatures ; but we are forbidden to invoke them or trust in them. God doth employ them in the aftairs of his people. Their help is not the fruit of our trust in them, but their obedience to God ; and it is seen in frustrating the endeavours of Satan and his instruments, and other services wherein Christ employeth them. God showed this to Jacob in the vision of the ladder, which stood upon earth, and the top reached to heaven — a figure of the providence of God, especially in and about the gospel: John i. 51, ' Hereafter you shall see the heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man ; ' to carry on the work of the gospel, and to promote the glory and interest of Christ's kingdom in the world. Thus far in the general we may be confident of.