Christianismus primitivus, or, The ancient Christian religion, in its nature, certainty, excellency, and beauty, (internal and external) particularly considered, asserted, and vindicated from the many abuses which have invaded that sacred profession, by humane innovation, or pretended revelation comprehending likewise the general duties of mankind, in their respective relations : and particularly the obedience of all Christians to magistrates, and the necessity of Christian-moderation about things dispensible in matters of religion : with divers cases of conscience discussed and resolved / by Thomas Grantham ...

SECT. I.

FOrasmuch as it may conduce much to our Comfort and Admonition, to contemplate this Subject touching the Angelical Powers, we shall not intermit in these our Discourses of the Internal part of Christianity to speak somewhat thereof, although an exact knowledg herein is un∣doubtedly reserved to Eternity; Howbeit, some things in this case are re∣vealed in the Scriptures, as necessary to be known by the Christian Man, in via, whose duty it is to hold such of them in execration, as shall prove themselves inimical to the Gospel of God, Gal. 1. 4, 8. and whose ho∣nour it shall be to judg them, when God shall bring to Light all the hid∣den things of Darkness, 1 Cor. 6. 3. And that we may not wander in∣to scrutinies which are unnecessary, we shall content our selves with the brief consideration of these ensuing Particulars.

• 1. Of their Original.
• 2. Their Dignity, and great Number.
• 3. The Apostasie of some of them.
• 4. The envy of the Apostate against Man.
• 5. The Office and Care of the Good to such as fear God.
• 6. The final Estate of Angels both Good and Bad.

When Moses gives an account of the Creation, Gen. 2. 1. he tells us, Thus were the Heavens and the Earth finished, and all the Host of them: Which implies the Creation of the Angles, among the rest of the Crea∣tures. For though the Sun, Moon, and Stars, are sometimes called the Host of Heaven; yet they are not all the Host of them, for we find the Angels are so called, Gen. 32. 2. And the Angels of God met him; and Jacob said, This is God's Host. And Luke 2. 13. There were with the Angels, (viz. those that first appeared to the Shepherds) a multitude of the Heavenly Host, praising God. These are the Hosts, unto which the most High God doth so frequently intitle himself as their Lord in the Old Testament, though but once expressed in the New, Jam. 5. 4. for the word Sabbaoth and Hosts are of the same import. That these Glori∣ous Saints are created Beings, is yet more evident, Psal. 147. where the Prophet having called upon the Angels, as well as other parts of the Creation, to praise the Lord, he gives this general Reason for it, For he commanded, and they were created. So that how excellent soever they are, yet were they not from Eternity, but took their Being in Time; and by the Word of God they were produced or brought forth in a creaturely capaci∣ty, and so to be looked upon, and not to be adored with Divine Honours, as many have vainly fancied, and for which they are reproved by the Apo∣stle, Col. 2. 18. As the Error of Adoration of Angels is dangerous, in that it intrencheth upon the Right of him who made them, and hath or∣dained them to worship him and his Holy Child Jesus, Heb. 1. So it is a very gross Error, to deny that there are any Angels or Spirits Celestial, as the Sadduces did, because it also taketh away the Glory of the Creator, in that part of his handy-work, which hath gloriously appeared in the Crea∣tion and Exaltation of those Heavenly Powers which are modestly to be sought out among the great Works of God, by all such as have plea∣sure therein.