2. Not only men, but angels themselves are at a loss in this great mystery ; they study it as well as we, and cannot come to the bottom of it : 1 Peter i. 12, ' Which things the angels desire to look into.' The word irapaKinlrat signifies to bow down and bend the body ; it is an allusion to the cherubim, that were pictured over the ark stooping, and as it were bending their bodies, as prying into the mysteries of the ark. The mysteries of the gospel are so sublime that the angels which do continually behold the face of God cannot perfectly comprehend them ; they are learning and improving their knowledge by learning and improving the dispensations of God to the church : Eph. iii. 10, ' To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God ; ' that they may know the curious contrivances of God's wisdom by observing the revelations that are made, and the dispensations God hath used towards l>is church. And possibly this may be the meaning of the apostle in that expression, 1 Tim. iii. 16, ' Seen of angels ; ' that
SERMONS IJPOX GENESIS XXIV. €3. 333
is, with reverence, admiration, and wonder, to see Christ stoop so low, to be clothed with flesh, to condescend to a nature so much beneath their own. This is the work of angels, either they desire to know more of Christ, or they delight themselves in beholding of that they know. Oh ! we should never be weary of searching into these holy mysteries, and acting our thoughts upon them.
3. They wonder most at the contrivance of the gospel that have most interest in it ; to others it is but a cold story or naked plot. Con- cernment sharpeneth invention and aftection, a man doth then more seriously consider of it ; their eyes are open, and they have moi'e of sense and feeling. And that is the reason why the enjoyments of the t^aints have notes of wonder annexed to the expressions of them ; as Phil. iv. 7, ' The peace of God, which passeth all understanding,' &c. 1 Peter i. 8, ' Joy unspeakable and full of glory ; ' they that have a taste of it know what it is to enjoy a calm and serene conscience through the application of the promises of the gospel. They can best wonder at the contrivance of the gospel, who are ' called out of darkness into his marvellous light,' 1 Peter ii. 9. They wonder in their thoughts that God and Christ should design their heaven, be plotting and con- triving their salvation before all. worlds, how they may be vessels filled up with glory. 0 marvellous light ! wonderful, unutterable joy ! These are the apprehensions of God's children ; others may look upon the gospel as a probable truth, but they have found it a comfortable truth, therefore their hearts are raised in wonder.
II. I come to the work itself. You may manage it three ways — (1.) By observations ; (2.) By arguments ; (3.) By comparisons.
1. By observations. Observe what is beautiful and excellent in the gospel,
[1.] God did not contrive to save the fallen angels : Heb. ii. 16, * For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham.' He was not made an angel for angels, as he Avas made a man for men. 0 Lord ! thou sawest angels sinning, but not returning ; in them thou didst discover the severity of thy justice, but in us the riches of thy mercy. God would not so much as treat with fallen angels, but plotted a way to recover man. In the election of angels mercy is not so much glorified as in the election and calling of men ; there was grace showed in the election of angels, but not mercy ; none of the fallen angels were saved, but fallen man is called to grace in Clurist. Certainly whatever the causes were, there was much of wisdom and mercy in it. Whether it be for this cause, that when Adam sinned the whole human nature fell, but the whole angelical nature did not fall, but only a part of it ; the kind itself needed not to be re- paired, but all the mass of mankind was poisoned ; or whether this be the cause, merely the will of God, certainly there is much of mercy in it. Love after a breach is more glorious ; it is more to be reconciled than to be confirmed. Pcenitens, the penitent, have more cause to glorify God than tnnoc€7is, the innocent ; those that are received to mercy than those that are confirmed by grace. Or else was this the cause ? Because the angels sinned out of their own motion. Angels had no other temptation but their own ambition and aspiring thought, but man sinned by the devil's suggestion. Certainly it is more to be a
334 SERMONS UPON GENESIS XXIV. 63.
tempter than a sinner, and he thatsinnetli himself doth not offend God himself so much as he that made Israel to sin. However it be, we have cause to bless God that he hath revealed his justice against them and his mercy to us.