1. They ate sent in an extraordinary manner to make revela- tions of the will of God, about things tending unto the obedience and spiritual advantage of them that do believe, Hereof we have
250 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [ CHAP. I.
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 ap- pear unto them,—as to Abraham, Gen. xviii. 1, 2, with chap. xix. 24; and unto Jacob, chap. xxxii. 24, whom he calls PNaN FNP, Gen. xlviii, 16 ;—yet God also made frequent use of created angels in the revelation and discovery of his mind and will unto them, as is evi- dent from many passages in their story. That he used their mini- stration in the giving of the law we have before abundantly showed, the Holy Ghost declaring and affirming it, Ps. lxviii. 17, 18; Acts vii. 53. The like also he continued to do in the visions of them granted unto the prophets that ensued unto the end of that dispen- sation, especially unto Ezekiel and Zechariah. So also the same was done under the New Testament, as, to omit others, we have an especial instance, Rev. i. 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 some- what of his own approaching work, seems, in my judgment, un- warrantably 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 sug- gestions suited unto the principle of sin within them, so God em- ploys 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 dis- cover 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 prin- ciple 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 resi-
VER. 14.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 251
dence in our souls, but work upon us as an eaternal 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 con- sist 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 ap- pears, (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 angelical 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 subsist- ences from whom they should proceed.