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HAving thus read over the book of the visible creation, and considered of some special and highly concerning instructions unto man, dedu∣cible there-from; let us proceed to take notice of a third sort of created nature, which is invisible.
In the three former of the four degrees of crea∣tur's
already spoken to, we find meer bodily na∣ture: in the fourth (to wit, man) bodily and intel∣lectual or spiritual nature, joyn'd together. By these things, so manifested and known, may we ascend to the consideration of intellectual nature, as found alone, by itself, in separation from bodi∣ly. Bodily nature has two wayes of existing, one by itself, in the three inferiour degrees of created beings; another, in conjunction with intellectual nature, in the fourth; man. Intellectual nature then, being far more excellent then bodily, and much more neer and like to its creatour, will doubtless be found to have the like priviledg of existing also two wayes; first, singly, as a whole being, in angels; secondly, in composition with bodily, as part of a being, in man.
We may farther conclude also, that angels, as the choicer sort of first-created beings, excelling all others in understanding and strength (Psal. 103. 20) were first made. Man, though the most excel∣lent creature in the visible world, lord and master of all the rest, was last created; because, in respect of the bodily part of his constitution, the other vi∣sible creatures were a requisite provision for his enterteinment and subsistence. But angels, being meer spirits (unconcern'd in, and independent on the visible or material parts of the creation, for their subsistence and operations) might well be before any of this visible fabrick was set up. These morning stars and sons of God, sang together, and shou∣ted
for joy, when the foundations of the earth were fast'ned, and the corner-stone thereof was laid, by the hand of the creatour. Job. 38. 6. 7.
Now forasmuch as angelical nature had the same kind of free-will that man had in his first make, the things above proved concerning the obligation, duty, and true interest of man, may be look'd on as equally proved in reference to an∣gels.
So have we, by ascending natur's ladder, found out the divine nature, uncreated, which is the same numerical nature in three persons; and then, three created natures, meer bodily, meer intel∣lectuall, and mixt.
ANgels sin'd before men. Sin and depravation were first found in intellectual nature. Ange∣lical nature sin'd without any instigation to evil, by any superiour nature, already fallen. Humane nature sin'd and fell by the instigation of angeli∣cal, the highest kind of created nature, already fal∣len. Sin therefore was first in angelical nature. For, till angels were sinners, they would not tempt man to sin.
Sin was brought into humane nature, diffe∣rently from the way it entred into angelical. It
was first brought into the weaker part, the wo∣man: then, by her into the man; and so, into all mankind. 'T is the right method in the art of tempting, to assault the weaker part, for entrance. When evil is to be introduced by way of instiga∣tion, this is the surest course. But the evil of ange∣lical nature, entred first into the stronger part; then, by it, into the weaker; because that nature sin'd and fell of its own proper motion, without any instigation from another. The stronger, more excellent and capacious angel, whose will was of the most flexible, active temper, was most apt to assume unto himself a soveraign and uncontrolled excercise of his own will, in a proud and presump∣tuous opposition to God's, with an ERO SIMILIS ALTISSIMO, I wilbe like the most high. This was the case of the Luciferian head of the fallen an∣gels.
The evil of sin then may seem to have begun in him that by creation was the most excellent of all the other angels that fell. They fell by freely and instantly complying with his rebellious will. In humane nature, man, the stronger part, became evil, by adhering to and complying with the wea∣ker, the woman's disorder'd will. Angelical na∣ture first fin'd. By that, was the woman tempted: by her, the man. So sin entred upon all mankind:
The chief evil angel, proudly exalted himself and his will, into competition with God and his; and so became the first capital enemy of God. He
affected soveraignty: he would not remain sub∣ject to any superiour will. He erected a kingdom, empire, and dominion within himself, against the Kingdom, empire, and dominion of God. And he presently became obstinate, resolute, and fixed in this deviation from and enmity against God. He can never return from it, to all eternity. Conse∣quently, will he ever hate and oppose, to the ut∣most, the will of his creatour, as most opposite to his. Thus came there to be two totally distinct, contrary, and opposite wills; the most absolutely pure and holy will of the omnipotent creatour, and the depraved will of the first angel that sinn'd. And the said leading angel, the devil, does con∣tend, with all his might, for the maintenance and defence of his own will, in opposition to God's. To these two contrary wills of God and the devil, are all other wills of men or angels reducible. E∣very will truly good, is joyn'd with the will of God; every evil will, with the will of the devil. All the other angels, that adhered unto, joyned with, and took complacency in the will of the devil, became fixedly one with him, so as that they cannot will any thing but what he will's. He is the head, they the members, in opposition to Michael and his angels. Rev. 12. 7. All the wills of of the good angels are bound up in a state of ever∣lasting and unchangable harmony with the will of their head, the head of all principality and power. The evil angels are a compacted army, resolved
to fight for the defence of the depraved will of their head, and for the fulfilling thereof, in oppo∣sition to the will of God. The good angels are an opposite army, united with the will of their head, and contending for the fulfilling thereof, in oppo∣sition to the devil and his followers.
By how much the more high and excellent a creature the first angel that sinn'd was made, so much the more vile and inferiour did he become, by the voluntary corrupting of himself. He is the lowest, basest, and vilest of all creatur's. His will, perverted by pride and self-love, became the root, and fountain of all evils. When once his will was perverted, he resolved to employ the over-rea∣ching subtlety of his understanding, in all possible arts, methods, and wayes of delusion, for the de∣ceiving and drawing of men into the same perdi∣tion with himself. So much be spoken concerning the voluntary evil of the fallen angels; sin.
THe involuntary evil, or evil of punishment, which the angels that sinn'd, were forc'd to take whether they would or no, was a cas∣ting of them down to hel, and a reserving of them in chains of darknes, unto the judgment of the great day. But untill they be cast into the lake of fire and brim∣stone,
(Rev. 20. 10.) after the thousand yeers reign of Christ; or rather, untill, with their head, they be shut and seal'd up in the bottomless pit, (Rev. 20. 3. so as to be utterly disabled to exercise any depraving influence upon men, all along the said thousand yeers) they are termed rulers of the dark∣ness of this world. Eph. 6. 12. Their head, Satan, is termed the God of this world, that blind's the minds of men, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them, 2 Cor. 4. 4. The night of this world is now far spent, (Rom. 13; 12.) wherein these rulers of darkness have most wofully blinded mens understandings, and captivated their wills, in and by the ensnaring vanities of this world. The day of the lord is at hand, wherein they shall be ut∣terly disabled, as to any such practices. But they are now laying about them, in extreamity, as knowing they have but a short time. They have great horrour and disturbance in their present aery mansions, from the checks, restraints, and limi∣tations they find themselvs under, from the power of their enemy, who is infinitely stronger then they. They are restless in their inordinate cogita∣tions and desires. They are troubled, that they cannot deceive the very elect; that they cannot touch him that is born of God, (1. Jo. 5. 18.) with their de∣praving, assimilating influence; that they cannot ruine all mankind, to a man. When a sinner is con∣verted, the eyes of his mind open'd; when he is tur∣ned from darkness to light, and from the power of sa∣tan
unto God, (Act. 26. 18.) there is joy in the pre∣sence of the angels of God, and sorrow in the devil and his angels; Luk. 15. 10.